QE  CALIF.  UttKAK*,  LOS 


THE  RIGHT  KNOCK 


A   STORY 


BY 


HELEN  VAN-ANDERSON 


"  Go  to  your  bosom  ; 

Knock  there ;  and  ask  your  heart,  what  it 
doth  know."  — SHAKESPEARE. 


FIFTH     EDITION 


NEW  YORK 
LOVELL,  GESTEFELD  &  COMPANY 

125  EAST  230  STREET 


COPYRIGHT,  1889. 


||)edicated    to   the    World. 


2125417 


PREFACE. 


J|\  LTHQUGH  most  excellent  food  is  to  be  found  on 
jp^JL  the  table  of  metaphysical  thought,  there  has 
never  yet  been  a  metaphysical  story  setting  forth  a 
picture  of  every-day  life,  in  its  search  for,  and  attain- 
ment of  satisfaction  through  the  knowledge  of  Chris- 
tian Science. 

Knowing  the  pressing  need  of  such  a  book  among 
the  many  inquirers  and  students  on  this  theme,  and 
with  the  hope  of  helping  to  fill  that  need,  this  story  is 
told. 

It  is  a  book  of  facts,  not  fiction,  although  wearing 
the  dress  of  fiction.  Every  case  of  healing,  every 
seemingly  marvelous  experience  has  come  under  the 
observation  of  the  writer  and  can  be  authenticated  as 
a  veritable  fact. 

That  there  are  hundreds,  yea,  thousands  to-day, 
who  leave  their  homes  and  go  to  distant  cities  for  the 
sake  of  pursuing  the  study  of  Christian  Science,  or 
receiving  the  benefit  of  its  healing  ministry,  is  proof 
enough  that  the  story  of  one  woman's  experience  will 
be  interesting  and  helpful  to  alJ. 


w  PREFACE. 

"While  the  lessons  contained  in  Mrs.  Hayden's  let- 
ters are  not  exhaustive,  they  are  valuable  for  their  very 
simplicity,  and  are  thoroughly  practical,  complete  in- 
structions for  the  beginning  and  continuance  of  the 
study  of  this  wonderful  Science. 

With  every  lesson  supplemented  by  personal  experi- 
ences, the  reader  sees  not  only  the  theory  but  the  prac- 
tice demonstrated,  and  in  this  simple  story  he  may 
find  the  mirror  of  his  own  inner  hopes  and  aspirations, 
with  a  broader  view  of  their  possible  attainment  than 
he  has  yet  seen. 

Carlyle  says :  "  If  a  book  come  from  the  heart,  it 
•will  contrive  to  reach  other  hearts."  "The  Right 
Knock"  is  presented  with  no  other  apology  than  this; 
it  has  come  from  the  heart. 

NELLIE  Y.  ANDERSON. 

CHICAGO,  May,  1889. 


PREFACE  TO   THE  FIFTH  EDITION. 

"When  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK  first  went  forth  on  its 
mission,  the  writer  little  dreamed  of  the  health  and 
happiness  and  moral  purpose  it  would  be  the  means  of 
carrying  to  the  spiritual,  intellectual  and  physical 
being  of  its  kind  readers. 

It  seemed  such  a  small,  simple  thing,  this  little 
book,  and  the  best  that  could  be  said  of  it  was  that  it 
came  from  a  heart  full  of  eagerness  to  be  the  Master's 
messenger,  and  do  something  towards  preaching  the 
glad  gospel  of  healing  and  true  living. 

The  unnumbered  letters  of  gratitude,  the  kind 
words,  the  warm  hand -clasps,  the  many  testimonials  of 
sick  beds  forsaken,  depressed  spirits  revived,  vices  dis- 
continued, of  physical  and  moral  strength  regained, 
prove  that  the  work  of  the  Spirit  is  not  to  be  measured 
by  puny  human  standards  of  judgment,  prove  that 
simple  things — the  things  from  which  we  expect  the 
least,  in  which  we  put  the  least  ambition  or  worldly 
desire  may  be  those  which  will  yield  the  "  hundred 
fold  "  of  real  blessing. 

In  this  edition  a  supplementary  chapter  has  been 
added  which,  like  the  rest,  is  suggestive  rather  than 
exhaustive,  but  which,  it  is  hoped,  will  prove  an  addi- 
tional help  and  inspiration,  inasmuch  as  it  contains 
hints  of  some  later  thoughts  and  experiences  of 

THE  AUTHOR. 
CHICAGO,  May,  1892. 


0NTE1NTS 


CHAPTER. 

I.  MRS.  HAYDEN, 

II.  THE  GIRLS  AT  HOME, 

III.  A  FIRE  AND  A  RETROSPECT, 

IV.  BEGINNINGS, 

V.  THE  OLD  DOUBTS  AGAIN, 

VI.  Too  GOOD  TO  BE  TRUE,    - 

VII.  A  NEW  HOPE, 

VIII.  WHAT  THE  WORLD  SAID, 

IX.  A  STRUGGLE  WITH  SELF, 

X.  HINTS  OP  HELP,    - 

XI.  LEAVING  HOME, 

XII.  MRS.  PEARL'S  LECTURE,  - 

XIII.  THE  TRUE  FOUNDATION, 

XIV.  QUESTIONINGS, 
XV.  WHAT  is  NOT  TRUE, 

XVI.  STUDYING  AND  PROVING, 

XVII.  WHAT  is  TRUE, 

XVIII.  IT  MUST  BE  So, 

XIX.  THE  SPIRITUAL  BIRTH, 

XX.  TANGLES  AND  TALKS, 

XXI.  INSPIRATION  AND  THE  BIBLE, 

XXII.  A  CHURCH  COMMITTEE,   - 

XXIII.  PRAYER, 

XXIV.  EVERY-DAY  PRACTICE, 
XXV.  UNDERSTANDING, 

XXVI.  A  NEW  PROBLEM, 

XXVII.  UNDERCURRENTS, 

XXVIII.  THE  POWER  OF  THOUGHT, 

XXIX.  AN  UNEXPECTED  MEETIM;,  - 

XXX.  PRACTICAL  APPLICATION, 

XXXI.  CONFIDENCES, 

XXXII.  PRACTICAL  APPLICATION, 

XXXIII.  GRACE, 

XXXIV.  PRACTICAL  APPLICATION, 

XXXV.  PRACTICAL  APPLICATION, 

XXXVI.  FOUND  AT  LAST,    - 
XXXVII.     AFTER  THREE  YEARS, 


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THE  RIGHT  KNOCK, 


CHAPTER  I. 

"When  you  have  resolved  to  be  great,  abide  by  yourself,  and  do 
not  weakly  try  to  reconcile  yourself  with  the  world." — Emerson. 

HERE  was  a  brilliant  light  in  all 
the  windows    at   Terrace    Hill. 
Even    the   verandahs  were  gor- 
geous with  the  gayest   Chinese 
lanterns,   and    every    bush    and 
tree  in  the  lawn  did  duty  as  chan- 
delier.    Flowers,  too,  festooned 
every  arch  and  embowered  every 
corner,  while  rare  vases  fulfilled  their 
esteemed  privilege  of  holding  and  show- 
ing fragrant  blossoms. 

Everybody  declared  the  decorations 
superb,  and  agreed  that  no  one  but  Mrs- 
Hay  den  could  display  such  exquisite 
taste  and   such  perfect   judgment  in 
selection   and  arrangement.     Animated 
groups  of  gayly  attired  guests  sauntered 
up  and  down  the  rose-bowered  walks,  or 
promenaded  the  verandahs,  while  sounds  of  music  and 
merriment   from  the   house  proclaimed  the  joy  that 
reigned  throughout. 

"Oh,   how   beautifully  Mrs.  Ilayden  entertains!" 


10  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

remarked  Kate  Turner  to  her  friend  Grace  Hall,  as 
they  stopped  beside  a  marble  fountain  to  survey  the 
scene.  "  I  wonder  what  place  such  a  woman  would 
take  in  society  without  her  wealth,"  she  continued. 

"  Probably  wouldn't  have  any  place,  I  am  sorry  to 
say,  because  there  are  thousands  of  women  just  as 
capable  and  bright  as  Mrs.  Hayden,  yet  because  they 
have  no  social  position,  or  rather  no  money  to  buy 
themselves  one,  they  are  unrecognized  and  alone,"  said 
Grace,  with  a  tinge  of  bitterness  in  her  tone. 

"  I  could  never  fancy  Mrs.  Hayden  alone  or  unrecog- 
nized, although  I  only  know  her  as  a  society  lady,  and 
that  mostly  through  Mrs.  Nottingham." 

"  There  is  no  telling  what  a  person  really  is  till,  they 
have  gone  through  a  trial  of  some  kind,  or  had  some- 
thing disagreeable  to  bear.  Then  one  of  two  things: 
happens :  you  will  see  either  a  saint  or  a  sinner,  and 
I  am  not  sure  which  Mrs.  Hayden  would  be.  She 
hasn't  yet  seen  a  flame  from  the  fire  of  adversity,  I'm 
sure.  See  how  wonderfully  she  is  blessed  with  this 
beautiful  home,  a  good  husband  and  three  nice  chil- 
dren." 

"  Oh !  it  must  be  lovely  to  have  everything  you 
want,"  sighed  Kate,  under  her  breath. 

Poor  Kate !  She  was  alone  in  the  world,  making 
the  best  of  life  with  her  talent  for  music  and  through 
a  mutual  friend  had  been  introduced  to  Mrs.  Hayden, 
who,  after  hearing  her  play,  immediately  engaged  her 
for  Mabel,  and  always  invited  her  to  the  parties,  more 
as  a  musical  attraction,  than  out  of  any  real  regard,, 
for  Mrs.  Hayden  had  an  abundance  of  friends  without 


MRS.  HATDEN.  11 

troubling  herself  to  cultivate  in  any  warm  fashion, 
the  friendship  of  a  poor  little  music  teacher,  thought 
Kate,  somewhat  bitterly. 

"  But  after  all,  Kate,  life  would  need  more  than 
luxuries  to  make  it  my  ideal  of  happiness.  I  should 
want  every  human  being  to  be  agreeably  employed; 
every  woman,  no  matter  how  much  or  how  little  she 
might  have,  should  be  occupied  with  something  that 
she  could  put  her  heart  into  and  speak  to  the  world 
through  her  work,  whether  it  be  painting  pictures  or 
darning  stockings." 

"  Now  Gracious,  you  are  riding  your  hobby  and  you 
ought  to  see  you  can't  ride  with  all  these  fine  people 
in  your  path.  Come  down  at  once  or  I'll  desert  you ! 
Let's  go  in  and  hear  that  waltz,"  and  Kate  laughingly 
pulled  the  hobby-rider  into  the  path  that  led  to  the 
conservatory  where  they  could  listen  to  the  music. 

"  What  a  beautiful  home  Mrs.  Hayden  has !"  said 
Mrs.  Ferris  to  her  neighbor  with  the  severe  collar  and 
plain  hair,  as  they  examined  the  exquisite  frescoing  on 
the  parlor  ceiling. 

"  Yes,  but  she  ought  to  look  into  poor  homes  once 
in  a' while.  She  don't  use  her  money  in  the  right  way. 
Just  think  of  the  good  she  might  do  for  our  church,  if 
she  would  contribute  to  the  charity  fund,  or  take 
some  poor  families  to  look  after." 

The  fat  neck  folded  itself  over  the  severe  collar  and 
the  face  settled  into  rigid  lines  of  judgment.  Mrs.  Dyke 
was  a  practical  woman  and  talked  in  a  practical  way. 
Being  a  wonderful  church  worker  she  naturally  con- 
sidered it  everybody's  duty  to  give  when  they  did  not 


It  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

work  for  the  cause  of  religion.  She  belonged  to  the 
First  Methodist  Church  on  High  St.,  and  talked  about 
"our  church"  as  though  there  were  no  other. 

Mrs.  Ferris  was  at  a  loss.  She  had  said  something 
that  had  not  brought  forth  a  pleasant  result.  She 
merely  wished  to  be  sociable,  and  what  more  convenient 
topic  than  these  beautiful  surroundings  ?  She  was  a 
meek  little  woman,  who  always  wanted  to  say  some- 
thing agreeable  or  soothing,  and  she  felt  quite  fright- 
ened at  the  mistake  she  had  made.  She  wished  some- 
body would  come  to  the  rescue,  but  there  was  no 
immediate  prospect,  and  she  scarcely  knew  how  to  pro- 
ceed again,  but  ventured  to  ask  if  there  were  many 
poor  people  who  needed  attention  no\v. 

"  Yes,  indeed  there  are  no  less  than  fifteen  families 
in  the  mission  quarter  nearest  Mrs.  Ilayden  who  would 
consider  it  a  privilege  to  pick  up  the  crumbs  from  her 
table,  and  I  am  afraid  she'll  have  to  give  an  account 
some  time  when  the  reckoning  day  comes,  for  those 
who  have  not  'given  cups  of  cold  water,  or  visited  the 
sick  languishing  in  prison.' ' 

The  air  almost  trembled  with  a  suggestion  of 
something.  Little  Mrs.  Ferris  looked  longingly 
towards  the  door  and  just  then  spied  her  hus- 
band who  was  seeking  her.  After  she  was  gone, 
Mrs.  Dyke  looked  grimly  about,  and  not  find- 
ing any  one  to  listen,  she  relapsed  into  a  medi- 
tative silence.  People  always  wondered  what  made 
Mrs.  Dyke  so  popular  that  she  received  an  invitation 
to  every  aristocratic  party,  but  it  was  according  to  the 
old  adage,  ''Where  there  is  a  will  there  is  away." 


MRS.  HA  YD  EN.  13 

This  was  a  gala  night  for  Hampton.  Such  large 
social  parties  were  always  an  event,  and  no  one  refused 
an  invitation  to  Mrs.  Hayden's,  for  it  always  meant 
beautiful  rooms,  carpets,  pictures  and  bric-a-brac,  superb 
refreshments,  and  a  splendid  time  generally.  Mrs. 
Hay  den  was  a  favorite  with  the  world  because  she  fed 
the  world  with  sugar  plums,  and  after  smacking  its  lips 
it  was  always  ready  for  more.  And  she  usually  had 
one  to  drop  in.  To-night  it  was  a  remarkably  sweet 
one.  This  was  a  general  affair,  and  every  big  body  and 
big  body's  cousins  and  friends  were  there.  To  be  sure 
they  discussed  their  hostess  as  freely  as  though  they  were 
not  big  bodies,  but  with  rare  exceptions  the  discussion 
was  complimentary  in  the  extreme.  Mrs.  Hayden, 
what  she  said,  what  she  did,  what  she  wore,  what  she 
served  as  refreshments  the  last  time,  what  were  the 
probabilities  next,  her  children,  her  husband,  what  they 
all  did  and  said  and  how  they  acted,  etc.,  were  always 
interesting  themes.  Sometimes,  to  be  sure,  there  were 
adverse  remarks  like  Mrs.  Dyke's,  but  few  made  them. 

Yes,  Mrs.  Hayden  was  decidedly  popular,  and 
although  no  one  was  ever  heard  to  tell  of  any  par- 
ticularly grand  or  noble  deed  she  had  done,  she  was 
supposed  to  be  doing  good  all  the  time.  There  were 
those  who,  in  earlier  years,  would  have  pointed  her  out 
as  an  enthusiastic  philanthropist,  eagerly  helping  what- 
ever project  needed  her  most,  but  gradually  she  had 
dropped  it  all,  no  one  knew  why,  and  now  her  principal 
work  was  to  shine  in  society,  at  least  this  was  the  gen- 
eral verdict  of  the  adverse  few  who  judged  from  the 
superficial  standpoint  of  the  world.  Of  her  inner  life 


14  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

they  knew  nothing  as  the  world  knows  nothing  of  any 
one's  inner  life.  There  may  be  depths  or  shallows  in 
any  character  never  dreamed  of  by  the  most  intimate 
friend,  much  less  by  the  babbling  world. 

Mrs.  Hayden  moved  about  among  her  guests  with 
a  stately  grace.  She  had  always  a  pleasant  faculty  of 
adjusting  the  broken  links  of  conversation,  supplying  a 
repartee  or  asking  a  question,  introducing  strange  gen- 
tlemen and  reviving  timid  debutantes  with  a  pretty 
compliment  or  a  gracious  smile. 

"My  dear,  I  wish  you  would  play  something,"  she 
whispered  to  Miss  Turner  as  she  passed  her,  "  I  think  the 
group  in  the  drawing  room  need  a  little  change  ;"  and 
no  wonder,  for  there  was  Mrs.  Dyke  in  a  hot  dispute 
with  a  Unitarian  over  Robert  Elsmere,  while  her  pastor 
sat  near,  occasionally  adding  something  to  Mrs.  Dyke's 
emphatic  remarks. 

"  It's  a  most  blasphemous  piece  of  presumption  to 
present  such  a  picture  as  that  of  the  church.  As  if  it 
were  in  its  last  stages  of  decay,  indeed !  It  was  well 
such  a  weak-minded  idiot  as  Robert  Elsmere  died  at 
the  beginning  of  his  career.  I  could  never  forgive  the 
author  if  she  hadn't  killed  him,"  she  was  saying  in  an 
angry  voice. 

"  We  can  take  it  simply  as  a  symbol  of  the  decay  of 
his  religion,  and  that  is  comforting,"  added  the  minister, 
complacently. 

"  I  am  not  at  all  in  sympathy  with  the  holy  Cath- 
erine, with  her  prejudice  and  bigotry.  If  it  wasn't  such 
a  true  picture  of  the  many  Catherines  we  find  in  real 
life,  I  should  be  quite  disgusted,  but  I  do  love  to  see 


MRS.  HAYDEN.  15 

real  people  in  novels,  then  I  know  so  much  better  how 
to  deal  with  them,"  said  a  pretty  young  lady  who 
aspired  to  be  called  intellectual  because  she  liked  to 
study  character. 

"Indeed,  Catherine  had  a  deep  religious  nature, 
which  might  be  worthy  of  emulation  in  many  respects, 
and  she  is  certainly  a  high  ideal  of  wifely  love,"  Mrs. 
Hayden  interposed  at  this  critical  juncture. 

"  Well,  I  didn't  read  the  book  for  Catherine,  but 
for  the  sake  of  knowing  Robert  and  what  he  did  to 
make  such  a  stir  in  the  world.  I'm  opposed  to  novels, 
as  a  rule,  and  read  as  little  of  one  as  I  can,"  said  Mrs. 
Dyke,  smoothing  her  lap  and  looking  at  the  minister. 
Mrs.  Hayden  motioned  to  Kate  to  play,  and  presently 
the  rooms  were  filled  with  harmony. 

Kate  Turner  was  a  natural  musician,  and  to-night 
she  fairly  excelled  herself.  The  little  passage  at  arms 
just  recorded  had  inspired  her  with  emotions  that  could 
only  be  expressed  in  music,  and  she  played  some  time 
to  the  continued  delight  of  her  listeners.  She  finished 
at  last  with  a  song  that  stirred  every  heart,  and  even 
Mrs.  Dyke  was  visibly  softened.  "  Yerily  '  music  hath 
charms  to  soothe  a  savage  breast/ "  murmured  the 
intellectual  young  lady,  who  was  sorry  that  discus- 
sion of  Robert  Elsmere  had  been  interrupted.  She 
rather  enjoyed  Mrs.  Dyke,  for  she  was  an  immensely 
interesting  "  character." 

This  reception,  like  all  others,  came  to  an  end  at  last. 
Everybody  expressed  themselves  as  highly  delighted 
with  their  entertainment,  and  one  by  one  reluctantly 
took  their  departure  ;  the  gay  lanterns  on  the  lawn  and 


/<?  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

among  the  shrubbery  went  out,  the  lights  inside  the 
splendid  mansion  were  finally  extinguished,  and  only 
the  quiet  starlight  illumined  Terrace  Hill. 

Mrs.  Hayden,  from  her  high  bay  window,  looked 
out  over  the  sleeping  city,  then  at  the  North  Star  that 
beamed  so  brightly  above  her — that  unerring  beacon- 
light  that  guides  so  many  lost  mariners  into  port. 
Some  deep  thought  must  have  moved  her,  some  hidden 
impulse  stirred  her  mind.  She  sighed.  There  was  no 
visible  reason  for  it.  Then  she  turned  and  went  down 
the  stairs  to  the  nursery.  Her  two  babies  were  sleep- 
ing sweetly.  Mabel  was  asleep  in  her  room,  and  all 
was  quiet.  The  hush  seemed  oppressive  after  so  much 
gay  confusion.  Now  she  was  in  another  element. 
Now  she  was  the  mother,  then  she  was  a  fashionable 
woman.  She  hastened  back  to  her  room,  once  more 
gazed  without  and  then  thoughtfully  retired. 


CHAPTER  II. 

"Christianity  is  not  a  theory  or  a  speculation,  but  a  life ;  not  a  phi- 
losophy of  life,  but  a  life  and  a  living  process." —  Coleridge. 

ATE  TUKN"EK  walked  slowly  along  the  street 
at  the  foot  of  Terrace  Hill.  She  looked  up  at 
the  beautiful  home  where  she  had  spent  the  previous 
evening,  and  as  she  saw  the  velvet  lawn  and  terraced 
walks  bordered  with  bright  flowers,  she  half  pitied 
herself  because  she  was  only  a  plodding  music  teacher. 
She  was  not  envious,  but  she  had  such  longing  aspira- 
tions to  be  somebody  in  the  world ;  she  wanted  so 
many  things,  needed  so  much  to  complete  her  education, 
and  starved  herself  in  so  many  ways  for  the  sake  of 
completing  it,  that  sometimes  she  grew  discontented 
with  her  lot.  Fortunately  her  moods  did  not  last  long, 
however,  and  especially  when  she  went  home  to  her 
artist  friend,  Grace,  with  whom  she  shared  rooms. 
They  were  both  making  their  own  way  in  the  world, 
and  were  a  great  help  to  each  other,  as  well  as  a  great 
comfort. 

Kate  was  wondering  what  Mrs.  Hayden  did  every 
day  with  her  leisure.  She  should  think  she  would  be 
tired  always  going  to  parties  and  lunches  and  operas, 
or  receiving  calls.  "  But  then,  I  am  thankful  to  know 
her,"  she  concluded,  casting  a  last  glance  at  the  stately 
mansion  before  turning  the  corner.  "After  all,  life 
might  be  worse  for  me,  and  I  can  be  a  happy  nobody 
if  not  a  famous  somebody,"  she  said  to  herself,  as  she 

17 


18  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

ran  upstairs,  after  stopping  at  the  baker's  for  a  loaf  of 
bread  and  a  pot  oj:  jam. 

"  Well,  Gracious,  what  noble  message  have  you 
given  to  the  world  through  your  work  to-day?"  she 
cried,  a  moment  later,  gaily  peering  into  the  studio 
througli  the  portieres  that  separated  their  parlor  from 
the  wrork  room. 

"  Is  that  you,  Kate  ?  Well,  I've  been  tryingthe  whole 
afternoon  to  make  this  Hebe  look  like  a  modern  II y  ]>a- 
tia,  but 

"In  other  words,"  interrupted  Kate,  "you  would 
change  innocence  into  intellect.  Now,  look  here, 
Grace,  just  leave  this  dainty  girl  alone.  She  would 
never  do  to  serve  the  gods  if  you  gave  her  the  aspect 
and  bearing  of  a  goddess.  Let  her  alone,  or  the  world 
would  not  recognize  her  as  a  representative  woman," 
laughed  Kate,  inspecting  the  picture  with  critical  eyes. 

"Kate,  stop  laughing,  and  tell  me  truly  if  you 
think  it  would  not  do  to  give  her  a  little  more  inde- 
pendence." 

"  You  know  it's  the  worst  thing  in  the  world  to  give 
a  woman  even  an  inkling  that  such  a  thing  exists," 
said  the  mischievous  Kate,  with  a  total  abandonment 
to  consequences  as  she  gave  the  artist  an  impetuous 
hug. 

"  Well,  let  us  have  tea,  and  we'll  discuss  the  subject 
later,"  said  Grace,  somewhat  mollified. 

"I  am  afraid,  Gracious,  you  are  something  in  the 
same  mood  I  was  when  I  started  home  to-night,  but 
I  concluded  to  let  'dull  care'  take  care  of  itself,  and  be 
merry  while  the  sun  shines,  which  means  as  long  as 


THE  GIRLS  AT  HOME.  19 

we  have  enough  to  pay  our  rent,  and  the  prospect  of  a 
little  more  next  month/'  continued  Kate  as  she 
brought  a  tiny  oil  stove  from  the  depths  of  a  closet 
and  proceeded  to  "  put  the  kettle  on." 

"  I  have  been  so  full  of  thoughts  of  the  nineteenth 
century  that  I  found  it  hard  to  go  back  to  the  Pagan 
ages,  but  here  this  picture  is  ordered,  and  I  must  finish 
it  by  next  week,  so  I  guess  this  one  will  have  to  go  with- 
out my  message,"  said  Grace,  a  little  gloomily,  for 
above  all  things  she  loved  to  put  her  own  individuality 
into  her  pictures,  which  she  generally  did  with  rare 
success. 

"  You  mustn't  have  just  one  ideal  of  woman,  or 
you'll  lose  the  art  of  painting  the  sweetest  phases  of 
womanhood,"  replied  the  busy  housemaid  from  the 
sepulchral  closet. 

"  Oh!  if  I  have  such  excellent  models  as  you  make 
in  that  checked  apron  and  dusting  cap,  lean  do  nobly." 

Grace  laughed  good  humoredly  as  she  cleaned  her 
palette  and  set  Hebe  in  one  corner. 

"  Now,  my  dear,  isn't  there  something  I  can  do  to 
help  arrange  the  feast  ? "  as  she  went  into  the  little 
back  room  they  used  for  a  kitchen. 

"  Yes,  wash  the  grapes  and  open  the  jam  while  I 
cut  the  bread  and  pour  the  tea." 

A  few  minutes  later  they  were  tete-d-tete  &i  the  little 
table,  and  as  they  sat  down  Grace  said  with  a  comical 
smile  :  "Quite  a  difference  between  our  banquet  of  last 
night  and  this,  isn't  there?" 

"  I  should  remark  there  is,  but  after  all,  Grace,  I 
believe  I  am  quite  content.  As  I  was  passing  along  r.b 


20  THE  EIGHT  KNOCK. 

the  foot  of  the  hill  this  evening  a  momentary  dissatis- 
faction came  over  me  that  I  couldn't  have  a  few  advan- 
tages like  Mrs.  Hay  den's,  not  hers  of  course,  but  simi- 
lar ones,"  with  a  smile  at  the  distinction,  "  and  then  I 
wondered  how  she  spends  all  her  leisure,  for  of  course 
she  has  the  whole  twenty-four  hours  at  her  disposal, 
and — well,  to  be  brief,  I  would  not  want  to  live  with- 
out some  object  in  life, and  sol  thought  it  best  the  way 
it  is  now." 

"  Very  wise  conclusion,  Kate,  that's  just  what  I 
always  say,  and  really  who  is  there  with  whom  we 
would  care  to  exchange  places?  There  are  so  many 
kinds  of  people  and  so  many  things  for  humanity  to 
contend  against,  I  don't  know  that  I  should  want  to 
change  burdens  with  anyone." 

"  Mrs.  Dyke,  for  instance,  would  you  not  think 
yourself  fortunate  to  be  like  her?"  said  Kate,  with  a 
merry  twinkle  in  her  eyes. 

"  Oh,  deliver  me  from  that  comparison  !  Why,  she 
carries  everybody's  sins  on  her  shoulders  ;  I  even  heard 
she  had  taken  .Robert  Elsmere  to  throw  at  the  world  !" 
laughed  Grace. 

"But  not  his  wife;  she  didn't  read  about  her. 
Wasn't  it  too  funny  to  hear  her  go  on  last  night,  and 
the  way  she  looked  at  the  minister  to  emphasize  her 
position  ? " 

"  Yes,  but  how  many  there  are  like  her — read  just 
enough  to  know  there  are  such  and  such  characters  and 
such  and  such  incidents.  Now  of  course  she  has  heard 
the  minister  define  Robert's  crime,  as  he  would  call  it  I 
suppose,  so  she  thinks  she  can  use  the  whole  argument," 
Grnce,  a  little  scornfully. 


THE  GIRLS  AT  HOME.  21 

"  Mrs.  Hayden  interposed  just  at  the  right  time.  I 
was  glad  she  did,  too.  It  seems  she  has  considered 
Catherine's  position  and  could  speak  a  good  word  for 
her, "  said  Kate,  sipping  her  tea,  thoughtfully. 

"  Well,  if  she  calls  her  an  ideal  of  wifely  love,  I 
don't  admire  the  reality, "  exclaimed  Grace,  with  more 
vigor  than  elegance,  as  she  put  down  her  tea-cup. 

"  I  got  positively  impatient, "  she  continued,  "  when 
I  read  about  her  cruelty  to  Eobert,  judging  him  in  that 
inquisitors  fashion.  Poor  fellow  !  1  think  he  died  of 
a  broken  heart. " 

"  But,  Grace,  she  did  what  she  thought  was  her 
religious  duty,  and  it  must  have  been  hard  for  her  to 
withdraw  herself  so  completely  when  she  loved  him.  so 
much,  "  said  the  more  charitable  Kate. 

"Do  you  call  that  love  which  would  let  him  go 
tramping  off  alone,  with  not  even  a  word  of  sympathy, 
and  so  afraid  that  her  religion  would  be  contaminated 
she  could  not  even  hear  him  preach  ?  I  don't  pretend 
to  be  religious,  but  any  religion  stands  on  a  poor 
foundation  if  it  can  be  s \vept  away  by  anybody's  opin- 
ions. " 

"It  wasn't  that;  it  was  because  she  thought  it  was 
wrong  to  listen  to  heresy,  as  she  supposed  it  was, 
and " 

"How  did  she  know ?  Had  she  taken  pains  to  find 
out?  Did  she  study  it  carefully  and  have  a  reason  for 
her  cruel  judgment?"  interrupted  the  wrathful  Grace. 

"Well,  she  was  conscientious  and  was  doing  what 
she  had  been  taught  was  right.  " 

"  Kate,  if  there  is  anything  that  makes  me  out  of 


t*  THE  RIGUT  KNOCK. 

pntionce  with  people  it  is  when  they  hang  all  their 
actions  on  what  somebody  else  says,  and  that  excuse  is 
simply  barbarous  in  this  case. " 

"Remember  that  in  religion  one  must  follow  what 
he  thinks  to  be  right,  and  Catherine  Elsmere  repre- 
sents a  large  class  of  people;  in  fact,  the  majority  of 
religious  people. " 

Kate  was  naturally  inclined  to  be  charitable,  and 
this,  added  to  her  early  training  in  a  religious  home,  as 
well  as  her  position  as  a  church  member,  made  lur 
understand  Catherine's  position  from  a  conscientious 
standpoint  much  more  than  Grace.  She  could  readily 
appreciate  the  fixed  law  of  conscience  Catherine  had 
made  for  herself  by  pledging  her  sacred  word  of  honor 
to  her  father,  whom  she  revered  as  an  infallible 
authority,  as  most  people  revere  the  legends  and 
doctrines  of  the  church. 

"  I  admit  that  it  is  right  to  follow  the  dictates  of 
one's  own  conscience,  but  I  believe  in  having  an  enlight- 
ened conscience,  and  a  reason  for  opinions.  For  that 
matter,  so  did  .Robert  have  a  conscience,  and  while  I 
don't  understand  his  religion,!  respect  his  honesty  and 
effort.  There  are  a  great  many  beautiful  things  in 
what  he  says,  but  there  must  be  a  mistake  somewh.-iv 
in  a  religion  that  can  not  save  to  the  uttermost,  and  his 
didn't.  I  haven't  found  one  that  does,"  said  Grace,  with 
some  irony. 

"  Nevertheless,  Grace,  there  is  nothing  to  warrant 
your  assertion  in  the  Bible.  The  Christian  religion  is 
full  of  the  most  blessed  promises  of  salvation  in  every- 
thing" said  Kate,  gently,  but  flushing  a  little  as  she 


THE  GIRLS  AT  HOME.  S3 

spoke,  for  she  disliked  talking  religion  with  Grace,  who 
was  so  skeptical,  although  if  compelled  to  do  so,  it  was 
a  matter  of  duty  to  stand  up  for  her  Christian  princi- 
ples. 

"  Yes,  I  admit  it  gives  many  wonderful  promises, 
but  where  are  they  realized  ?  It  seems  to  me  the  very 
fact  that  the  church  has  not  proven  them,  made  such 
people  as  Robert  Elsmere  doubt  them  even  as  possible 
of  fulfillment/' 

"  Why  Grace,  surely  you  don't  disbelieve  in  the 
power  of  God  to  fulfill  the  promises? "  exclaimed  Kate, 
deeply  pained. 

"  I  am  talking  from  Robert  Elsmere's  standpoint," 
answered  Grace,  evasively. 

"  My  sympathy  is  with  Catherine,  for  to  her,  relig- 
ion was  a  living  answer  to  her  deepest  needs  and  feel- 
ings, and  to  doubt  that  answer  was  nothing  less  than 
sacrilege,"  said  Kate,  with  a  bright  red  spot  on  either 
cheek. 

"  Well,"  answered  Grace,  throwing  down  her  nap- 
kin, "  I  want  to  see  a  religion  that  will  stand  infinite 
investigation  without  falling  into  ruins,  and  Robert 
reasoned  himself  away  from  the  old  beliefs  and  dogmas 
because  he  investigated  them.  He  used  his  God-given 
reason,  and  I  think  that  is  to  be  used  as  well  as  the 
blind,  unquestioning  faith  of  Catherine." 

"  There  are  times  when  we  need  faith  and  times 
when  we  need  reason,  but  faith  applies  to  religion  and 
reason  to  the  things  of  the  world,"  replied  Kate,  recall- 
ing what  she  had  heard  a  few  Sundays  before. 

"  Well,  to  me  the  ideal  of  religion  is  a  marriage, 


94  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

a  union  of  faith  and  reason  —  but  this  is  idle  talk. 
What  does  anybody  know  of  such  perfection  as  I 
demand  anyway  ? " 

Grace  impatiently  pushed  her  chair  away  from  the 
table,  and  went  to  look  at  her  picture  again,  in  a  decid- 
edly gloomy  mood. 


CHAPTER  III. 

"  Such  is  the  world,  understand  it,  despise  it,  love  it ;  cheerfully 
hold  on  thy  way  through  it,  with  thy  eye  on  highest  loadstars." 
— Carlyle. 

~W)T  was  a  week  since  the  party.  Mrs.  Hayden 
|L  had  been  to  the  opera  and  returned  late.  Her 
husband  was  absent  on  a  business  trip,  and  she  felt 
a  vague  uneasiness  come  over  her  as  she  entered  the 
room.  She  knew  not  why,  but  it  seemed  unusually 
lonely  without  him.  She  seldom  went  out  alone,  but 
to-night  she  had  gone  out  as  much  to  while  away  the 
time  as  to  hear  the  music.  After  pa}Ting  her  usual 
visit  to  the  nursery,  she  went  to  bed,  but  slept  little 
for  several  hours. 

About  4  o'clock  she  was  awakened  by  stifling  fumes 
of  smoke  and  startling  cries  of  fire.  Was  it  too  late  ? 
She  sprang  up  and  ran  to  the  nursery  stairs,  but  the 
scorching  flames  met  her,  and  she  retreated  to  the  win- 
dow, shrieking  for  help,  only  to  get  a  glimpse  of  some- 
one through  the  smoke  climbing  toward  her. 

"  Hold  on  ! "  cried  the  fireman,  and  reached  out  his 
arms  for  her  just  as  she  fell  back  fainting.  Grasping 
her  firmly,  the  brave  man  dragged  her  out  of  the  win- 
dow, and  began  his  perilous  descent.  When  about 
half  way  down,  the  ladder  fell,  but  its  burden  was 
expected,  and  mattress  and  bed-clothing  saved  them 
from  what  might  have  been  worse.  As  it  was,  the 
fireman  escaped  with  a  few  bruises  and  slight  scorching, 

us 


S6  THE  EIGHT  KNOCK. 

and  Mrs.  Ilayden  with  a  broken  limb.  First  they 
feared  she  was  dead,  but  after  a  few  moments  she 
revived  and  moaned  feebly  for  husband  and  children. 
Little  Mabel  clung  desperately  to  her  mother,  and  sob- 
bingly  told  her  '•'  only  the  house  was  burnt.  Fred  and 
Jamie  were  safe,  and  now  she  must  get  up  and  be 
glad."  Poor  child,  instinctively  she  knew  the  value  of 
life  above  all  other  things. 

"  How  did  it  happen,  where  did  it  start,  and  who  saw 
it  first?"  were  the  queries  on  every  side.  Some  one 
down  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  had  seen  a  tiny  blue  flame 
licking  the  corner  of  the  roof.  The  fire  alarm  was 
touched,  the  bells  set  to  ringing,  and  the  observers 
leaped  up  the  terraced  stairways  and  arrived  at  the 
top  just  as  the  whole  house  burst  into  flames.  The  fire 
company  had  not  arrived  in  time  to  do  anything,  as  it 
was  impossible  to  climb  the  hill  with  their  heavy 
trucks,  and  their  hose  was  not  long  enough  to  reach 
the  flames,  so  the  house  was  gone.  Many  people  had 
gathered  from  all  quarters  in  the  fashion  peculiar  to 
fire  crowTds,  but  now  they  had  seen  the  spectacle,  and, 
as  there  was  nothing  further  to  see  or  do,  they  slowly 
dispersed. 

Mrs.  Ilayden  and  the  children  were  removed  to  the 
hotel  and  a  telegram  sent  to  Mr.  Ilayden,  informing 
him  of  the  catastrophe. 

"When  he  arrived,  twelve  hours  later,  he  found  his 
wife  confined  to  the  bed  with  a  nervous  fever  and  a 
broken  limb.  The  children  were  safe  and  well  cared 
for,  and  though  his  elegant  home  was  in  ruins,  John 
Hayden  was  deeply  thankful.  Marion  would,  of 


A  FIRE  AND  A  RETROSPECT.  27 

course,  get  over  the  trouble,  and  things  were  much 
better  than  they  might  have  been,  he  said.  So  he  tried 
to  look  on  the  bright  side,  and  after  a  few  cheering 
words  and  a  loving  kiss  he  left  her,  to  run  up  the  hill 
and  view  the  ruins. 

It  was  early  twilight,  and  as  he  beheld  the  smoulder- 
ing debris,  and  realized  that  the  comforts  and  luxuries, 
possibly  the  necessities  of  life  had  gone  up  in  the  smoke 
that  even  now  curled  in  sullen  wreaths  from  the  black- 
ened heaps,  he  bowed  his  head  and  wept. 

It  was  but  a  moment,  but  that  moment  was  the 
bitterest  of  his  whole  life.  He  knew  better  than  any- 
one else  that  this  was  probably  the  beginning  of  finan- 
cial misfortune,  for  a  very  important  transaction  was 
even  now  pending  that  he  feared  would  take  his  all. 
As  a  merchant  he  had  an  honorable  reputation  and 
position,  but  this  unfortunate  speculation  would  ruin 
him.  Failure  seemed  inevitable.  But  he  hoped  to 
save  enough  to  pay  every  debt  and  still  be  able  to  live, 
even  though  in  a  modest  way.  Now  he  would  not 
even  get  his  insurance  on  his  house,  for  in  his  financial 
embarrassment  he  had  failed  to  renew  his  policy,  which 
had  expired  but  few  days  before.  He  would  now 
have  little  besides  this  spot,  this  beautiful  hill.  Yes,  it 
was  valuable,  and  in  time  could  be  sold  for  what  it 
was  worth,  but  not  now,  and  in  the  meantime  what 
should  he  do?  How  would  Marion  take  it?  "Why 
had  he  not  told  her  before  he  went  away  ?  But  he  had 
known  it  himself  only  a  few  days. 

"  Oh,  my  dear  wife,  would  that  we  could  commence 
life  as  we  did  when  we  were  first  married!"  he 
groaned. 


S8  THE  RIGUT  KNOCK. 

His  mind  went  back  to  the  past.  He  looked  again 
into  her  sweet,  girlish  face,  into  her  clear,  earnest  eyes. 
He  remembered  how  they  had  both  desired  to  live  a 
religious  life,  how  he,  having  been  brought  up  in  a 
religious  home,  undertook  in  vain  to  explain  the  Bible 
where  it  was  dark  and  unreasonable  to  her.  He 
remembered  how  fruitlessly  she  had  tried  to  be  con- 
verted, and  that  he  had  found  even  through  her  earn- 
est seeking  that  he  had  naught  but  the  letter  of  relig- 
ion and  was  also  as  helpless  as  to  the  manner  of  salva- 
tion. And  then  they  had  given  up  trying.  She  sought, 
for  a  while,  to  satisfy  herself  by  doing  for  others,  giv- 
ing her  time  and  energy  to  the  poor  that  found  her  out 
and  besieged  her  for  favors,  while  he  had  been  satisfied 
to  let  religion  alone  and  believe  with  the  majority  con- 
cerning the  doctrines  and  dogmas. 

As  the  years  went  on,  and  prosperity  came  to  them, 
he  had  grown  more  and  more  indifferent,  and  finally, 
when  they  moved  away  from  their  early  home  and 
entered  a  new  city,  they  had  begun  a  new  life,  as  it 
were. 

He  remembered,  regretfully,  that  she  had  entered 
the  competitive  ranks  of  society,  at  his  wish  at  first, 
because  he  thought  it  would  add  to  his  popularity  as  a 
merchant  and  increase  the  number  and  quality  of  his 
customers.  Too  well  he  remembered  that  the  elegant 
parties  and  party  costumes  were  first  his  own  instiga- 
tion, and  now  that  these  were  likely  to  be  taken  away, 
he  felt  responsible  for  her  happiness,  and  had  a  secret 
misgiving,  born  of  his  early  religious  training  perhaps, 
of  retribution  and  judgment.  He  hoped  indeed  that 


A  FIRE  AND  A  RETEOSPECT.  W 

she  would  be  able  to  rise  above  circumstances,  but  he 
was  utterly  at  a  loss  to  know  how  she  would  take  it, 
for  although  he  knew  that  deep  down  in  her  heart  were 
still  traces  of  the  early  longings,  he  felt  vaguely  there 
was  no  way  to  satisfy  them  any  more  now  than  in  the 
past,  and  probably  they  would  only  increase  the  diffi- 
culty of  finding  happiness. 

John  Hay  den  was  kind-hearted  and  upright  in  all 
his  ways,  strictly  honest  and  conscientious,  but  apt  to 
be  a  little  one-sided  in  his  judgments,  simply  because, 
as  a  rule,  he  reasoned  from  one  standpoint,  thought  in 
one  groove.  He  had  never  considered  the  questions 
from  this  point  of  view,  and  therefore  they  were 
seriously  perplexing.  Like  many  another  he  lived 
within  his  own  world,  and  knew  naught  of  any  other. 
In  the  later  years  of  their  married  life  he  and  Marion 
had  grown  a  little  apart  in  the  closest  confidences,  but 
it  was  caused  by  circumstances  more  than  anything 
else,  and  notwithstanding  the  present  misery  he  was 
sure  of  her  love. 

"  Poor  girl,  I  must  hasten  back  to  her,"  he  mur- 
mured, as  he  rose  from  his  uncomfortable  position. 
"  After  all,  I  can  thank  God  for  my  family,  my  health, 
my  honor,  for  no  matter  how  much  we  may  suffer,  no 
one  else  shall  suffer  through  me." 

There  was  a  little  pang  at  the  thought  of  the  pri- 
vations in  possible  store  for  the  family  through  him, 
but  he  had  resolved  to  make  the  best  of  circumstances 
and  be  brave  as  possible.  Once  more  he  looked  over 
the  scene,  but  there  were  only  dim  black  shadows  in 
the  starlight,  and  he  went  down  toward  the  twinkling 
lights  of  the  city  below. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

"  Society  is  like  a  piece  of  frozen  "water  ;  and  skating  well  the  great 
art  of  social  life." — Letitia  Elizabeth  London. 

WOO  bad  about  Ilayden,  isn't  it  \ "  said  one  busi- 
ness man  to  another  after  the  crash  came. 

"  Yes,  I  am  sorry  for  him,  but  he  is  coming  out  hon- 
orably, and  I  hope  he'll  commence  again  before  long." 

"  Well,  he  is  made  of  the  right  stuff  if  he  did  make 
one  mistake,  and  I  guess  he  will  never  make  the  same 
blunder  again.  Too  bad  though  about  his  house.  Ko 
insurance  at  all,  and  that  was  a  magnificent  property." 

"Indeed  it  was,  and  I  hope  for  his  wife's  sake  he 
can  sell  the  lot  and  get  another  home  for  her." 

"  Can't  do  it  now  though  —  real  estate  is  too  low 
for  any  use  in  Hampton." 

"Yes,  that's  so.  The  only  way  is  to  mortgage,  and 
that  seems  a  pity  in  this  case  — "and  they  passed  on 
out  of  hearing. 

John  Ilayden,  standing  within  the  doorway  of  the 
open  store,  had  overheard  the  remarks,  and  while  they 
pained,  they  cheered  him.  From  that  moment  his 
resolve  was  taken,  and  as  soon  as  everything  was  hon- 
orably settled  ho  applied  for  credit  of  his  old  friends 
in  the  wholesale  houses  and  they  gladly  gave  it,  forhis 
reputation  was  unimpeachable. 

Then  he  rented  a  modest  little  store  and  began 
anew. 

Mrs.  Ilayden  lay  sick  seven  weeks,  and  arose  a 
so 


BEGINNINGS.  31 

weak  and  nervous  invalid,  "  doomed  to  carry  a  stiff  limb 
all  her  life,"  the  physicians  said.  They  could  not  dis- 
cover why  her  limb  was  stiff,  but  there  was  no  help 
for  it. 

How  did  she  bear  the  change  in  her  life  and  cir- 
cumstances ?  When  her  husband  told  her,  she  just  put 
her  arms  around  his  neck  and  whispered;  "All  right, 
John,  I  shall  do  the  best  I  can  to  help  you  bear  it." 
And  from  that  moment  they  began  life  again.  She 
did  not  even  complain  when  they  were  obliged  to 
move  into  a  small  cottage  in  the  suburbs,  but  it  was 
hard  for  her  to  be  ignored  and  forgotten  by  the  elegant 
social  world,  where  she  had  so  recently  been  an 
acknowledged  leader. 

Alas !  she  had  no  sugar  plums  for  society  now,  so 
it  soon  forgot  her  existence.  There  were,  however, 
some  exceptions  among  her  former  friends,  and  she 
was  glad  to  welcome  among  her  few  visitors,  Kate 
Turner  and  Grace  Hall,  who  had  grown  to  love  Mrs. 
Hayden  more  than  they  would  have  thought  possible 
when  she  seemed  so  high  above  them  in  the  social 
scale. 

"  She  is  turning  out  a  saint  rather  than  a  sinner/' 
said  Kate  one  evening,  as  they  were  discussing  the 
Haydens  and  recalled  the  conversation  of  the  night  of 
the  party. 

"  Just  wait  awhile.  Many  people  can  be  heroic  in 
great  things,  but  are  sadly  deficient  when  it  comes  to 
the  little  things,"  said  Grace,  with  her  usual  caution.  "I 
believe  I  could  be  a  heroine  myself,  if  some  grand  op- 
portunity came,"  she  added,  smiling. 


S3  THE  RIGHT  KXOCK. 

"  Oh,  Grace,  don't  trifle  so ;  you  know  this  is  a  very 
serious  matter  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hayden,  and  they  are 
both  doing  jiobly,"  cried  Kate,  with  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"  Well,  queen  Katherine,  I  don't  mean  any  harm, 
and  you  must  not  think  anything  of  my  brusque 
speeches.  As  you  know,  there  is  a  tinge  of  skepticism 
in  me  which  I  can  not  help,  and  my  ideals  are  so  much 
higher  than  the  realities  of  life,  that  I  am  always  pain- 
fully conscious  of  the  difference." 

"  Well,  what  would  you  wish  Mrs.  Hayden  to  be 
like,  for  instance,  in  order  to  come  up  to  your  ideal  of 
the  heroic  woman?"  asked  Kate  in  a  softened  tone. 

"  Kate  dear,  I  love  Mrs.  Hayden  as  much  as  you  do, 
and  would  not  for  a  moment  disparage  her  virtues,  but 
it  strikes  me  as  a  philosophical  fact  that  as  a  rule, 
human  nature  can  and  does  display  wonderful  courage 
in  great  emergencies,  but  fails  miserably  in  details,  and 
this  ought  not  to  be  so.  Nothing  would  please  me 
better  than  to  see  one  life  prove  that  I  am  wrong." 

"  That  is  all  true,  Gracie,  about  humanity  in  general, 
but  she  is  lovely,  and  I  am  sorry  for  her  having  to  be 
lame  all  her  life.  It's  a  perfect  shame  that  she  must 
lose  even  her  health,  for  of  course  she  will  never  be 
strong  again." 

"  Another  defect  to  be  noted  somewhere  in  the  uni- 
versal economy.  It  seems  to  me  we  are  pretty  help- 
less creatures,  generally  speaking,  for  it  all  appears  to 
be  a  matter  of  chance  whether  we  get  well  or  not,  when 
we  do  get  sick,"  mused  Grace,  bent  upon  drawing  her 
own  conclusions. 

Poor  girl !  Life  had  been  rather  hard  for  her,  and 


33 

she  judged  it  as  it  appeared,  and  there  did  seem  a  great 
flaw  somewhere  which  she  was  trying  her  best  to  solve 
by  noting  every  phase  of  life  as  she  found  it.  Natural- 
ly bright,  keenly  intellectual  and  very  independent,  she 
was  a  philosopher  as  well  as  an  artist,  and  always  ready 
for  a  tilt  with  the  world  on  its  most  petted  opinions. 
Hers  was  a  reasoning  mind  that  observed  all  inconsis- 
tencies and  discrepancies  in  anything  she  studied,  and 
there  was  generally  a  little  acidity  in  her  judgment  of 
the  world  and  its  bigoted  ways. 

"  I  ca/i't  see  why  Mrs.  Hayden  should  not  be  cured 
completely,"  continued  Kate,  ignoring  her  companion's 
last  shot,  "  for  it  wasn't  so  bad  that  anybody  knew  of 
until  she  got  up." 

"  My  dear  madam,"  said  Grace,  striking  an  owlish 
attitude,  "  you  have  not  read  the  latest  opinion  ex- 
pressed by  one  of  the  most  learned  professors  in  the 
Allopathic  school  of  medicine  in  Paris.  He  stood 
before  the  class  of  graduating  students  and  said:  '  Gen- 
tlemen, you  have  done  me  the  honor  to  come  here  to 
listen  to  a  lecture  on  the  science  of  medicine.  I  must 
frankly  confess  I  know  nothing  about  it,  and,  more- 
over, know  of  no  one  who  does.  Any  one  who  takes 
medicine  is  fortunate  if  it  helps  him,  but  more  fortu- 
nate if  it  does  not  harm  him.'  Whether  our  friend  is 
fortunate  or  unfortunate  is  a  question  hard  to  decide. 
I  move  we  discuss  another  subject/' 

Kate  laughed  in  spite  of  herself,  and  Grace  got  up 
to  take  another  view  of  the  "  Modern  Hvpatia,"  which 
at  last  was  growing  into  a  visible  creation  under  her 
skillful  brush. 


34  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  Isn't  that  a  woman  for  you  ?"  she  said,  pointing 
to  the  picture  admiringly,  as  she  held  it  under  the  gas 
light. 

"  Yes,  I  like  her  better  than  Hebe.  She  has  a  look 
of  reserved  power  about  her  that  is  captivating,  but 
there  is  something  in  her  face  that  makes  me  sad,  some- 
thing that  is  lacking." 

"  What  is  it  ?  Tell  me,  for  1  can  see  nothing ! " 
Grace  questioned  impetuously. 

"  Wait  a  minute,  perhaps  I  can  define  it.  There  ! 
hold  it  so.  Let  me  see,"  and  Kate  walked  *ff  a  few 
paces. 

"  Yes,  it  is  dissatisfaction,  an  incompleteness,  as 
though  she  had  not  found  what  she  sought." 

"  Can  you  see  that,  Kate  ?  Then  I  am  at  the  same 
time  the  most  happy  and  unhappy  creature  alive,"  cried 
Grace,  breathlessly  dropping  into  a  chair  and  holding 
the  picture  fondly  near  her  face. 

"  Why  ?  "  said  the  astonished  Kate. 

"Don't  you  know  I  am  forever  putting  myself  into 
my  pictures?  And  I've  succeeded  too  admirably  with  this 
one.  The  poor  thing  has  caught  my  unconscious  fault 
of  finding  defects  everywhere.  Oh,  I  must  get  it  out 
of  her  some  way ;  how  shall  I,  when  to  me  she  looks  so 
perfect?" 

"  You  better  get  it  out  of  yourself  first,  if  that  is  the 
trouble,"  replied  Kate,  with  a  great  wave  of  pity  in  her 
voice. 

"  I  wish  I  could.  Oh,  why  do  I  have  to  see  every- 
thing in  the  wrong  way?  It  seems  to  me  life  would 
be  heavenly,  if  I  could  know  only  the  good  in  every- 


BEGINNINGS.  35 

thing.''  Grace  put  down  the  picture  and  gazed  at  it 
with  stern,  accusing  eyes.  "  I  shall  leave  this  one  and 
begin  another  to-morrow,"  she  finally  announced  in  a 
subdued  tone. 

"  I  am  glad  you  won't  rub  this  out,  for  she  is  too 
lovely,"  said  Kate,  softly,  as  she  went  about,  gently 
putting  things  in  order,  picking  up  her  music  and 
arranging  the  books. 

Grace  sat  there  brooding  over  her  life  problems 
with  a  new  thought  in  her  mind.  She  dimly  realized 
that  a  woman  must  have  a  genuine  message  herself 
before  she  tries  to  give  it  to  the  world.  And  alas,  her 
message  was  sadly  deficient,  she  found.  Mechanically 
she  took  a  book  from  the  table  and  opening  it  at  ran- 
dom, read : 

"  If  the  whole  is  ever  to  gladden  thee, 

That  whole  in  the  smallest  thing  thou  must  see." 

"That  is  not  bad  philosophy,  whose  is  it?"  she 
thought.  She  looked  at  the  book.  It  was  Goethe's 
poems,  but  she  was  not  in  the  mood  for  reading,  and 
she  sat  thinking  till  late  at  night.  This  was  a  new 
sentiment.  She  would  digest  it  and  test  its  practical 
truth. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Take  up  the  threads  of  life  at  home, 

Let  not  the  stitches  drop; 
The  busy  world  will  know  'tis  done 

Though  ne'er  it  pause  nor  stop. 

"  Nothing  can  bring  you  peace  but  yourself.     Nothing  can  bring 
you  peace  but  the  triumph  of  principles." — Emerson. 

YEAR  passed  away,  and  Mrs.  Ilayden  gre\v  no 
better.  She  was  not  as  cheerful  as  she  had 
been  at  first,  and  instead  of  growing  into  the  brave, 
patient  woman  she  longed  to  become,  she  had  grown 
fretful  and  irritable,  and  was  in  many  ways  different 
from  the  Mrs.  Hayden  Kate  and  Grace  had  talked 
about  so  enthusiastically.  None  knew  better  than  she, 
how  miserably  she  had  failed  to  live  the  life  that  was 
soul  satisfying — the  life  that  brought  forth  fruits.  In 
all  the  years  of  her  prosperity,  in  the  midst  of  the  gay- 
eties  and  luxuries,  she  had  secretly  longed  for  some- 
thing she  never  found,  and  in  one  sense  it  had  not  been 
hard  for  her  to  give  up  the  life  of  ease  and  idleness, 
because  she  had  hoped  to  find  in  the  new  duties  a  new 
peace  and  satisfaction,  had  hoped  to  live  up  to  her  ideal 
of  a  noble  woman,  and  it  was  with  her  whole  heart  she 
had  promised  her  husband  her  help  and  sympathy,  but 
in  all  the  eighteen  months,  she  had  been  but  a  burden  ; 
even  calm  forbearance  and  cheerfulness  had  ceased  to 
be  virtues.  The  children,  not  having  a  nursery,  must 


THE  OLD  DOUBTS  AGAIN.  57 

needs  be  anywhere  and  everywhere,  and  in  spite  of  her 
efforts  to  the  contrary,  their  noise  annoyed  her. 

To-night  she  sat  thinking  it  all  over,  in  one  of  her 
most  despondent  moods,  for  be  it  said  to  her  credit, 
things  did  not  always  appear  as  gloomy  as  she  repre- 
sented them  to  herself. 

The  ruddy  firelight  flickered  over  her  in  fitful  gleams 
of  light  and  shadow.  The  children  were  out  romping 
in  the  twilight,  enjoying  the  first  snow  of  the  season. 
Her  husband  had  not  yet  returned  from  the  store. 

What  was  the  use,  anyway,  pursued  the  relentless 
conscience — even  the  wish  to  be  good  was  always 
choked  by  a  complete  forgetfulness ;  and  before  she 
could  catch  her  breath  the  words  were  out,  so,  although 
she  had  believed  nearly  all  her  life  that  one  might 
grow  into  goodness,  she  was  quite  rebellious  to-night 
with  the  thought  of  its  impossibility,  and  she  felt  bit- 
ter, too,  to  think  of  the  long  years  of  uselessness 
stretching  out  before  her.  Scarcely  thirty-five  and 
yet  she  felt  like  a  cross,  crabbed  old  woman,  and  shud- 
dered to  think  of  all  the  years  to  come,  if  they  were  to 
belike  the  past,  and  there  seemed  no  help  for  it  unless 
she  could  conquer  herself.  The  doctor  had  done  what 
he  could  to  cure  her  dyspepsia  but  she  was  a  veritable 
slave  to  her  capricious  stomach.  She  felt  one  of  her 
oft-recurring  sick  headaches  coming  on  and  every 
thought  grew  blacker  and  more  disconsolate.  Oh  !  she 
wished  supper  were  over  and  the  children  safe  in  bed,  so 
she  could  be  free  from  their  noise,  and  here  they  come ! 
she  thought,  as  a  great  stamping  and  laughing  was 
heard  in  the  hall. 


S8  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"Oh,  mamma!  such  lovely  snowflakes,  just  like  a 
fairy's  quilt,  and  they  have  been  falling  all  over  us  till 
we're  like  people  in  frost  land.  Just  look,  mamma  !" 
cried  Mabel,  who  liked  a  romp  as  well  as  the  boys, 
although  she  was  thirteen.  Three-year-old  Jamie  and 
five-year-old  Fred  came  trooping  in  behind. 

"  Well,  mamma,  God  has  turned  on  the  snow 
faucets,"  announced  Fred,  with  characteristic  impor- 
tance. 

"An'  all  'e  f ewers  is  tummin'  do\vn  fum  'e  'ky," 
shouted  Jamie  at  the  top  of  his  voice. 

"And  mamma,  can't  we  have  a  sled  and  go  coasting 
this  winter?"  queried  Mabel,  not  noticing  in  her  eager- 
ness that  her  mamma  was  very  sick. 

"Oh,  don't  make  so  much  noise.  Take  them  away 
and  keep  quiet,  Mabel.  I  can  not  endure  so  much  con- 
fusion." 

They  went  out  clanging  the  door  behind  them  in 
spite  of  their  efforts  to  keep  quiet,  and  as  their  voices 
grew  fainter,  she  thought  with  another  remorseful 
pang:  "I  have  sent  them  away  again.  Why  must  I 
yield  always  to  self  instead  of  overcoming?"  Pres- 
ently, however,  all  attempts  at  thinking  were  lost  in 
the  efforts  to  get  the  camphor,  bathe  her  head  and  find 
some  comforting  spot  whereon  to  rest  her  aching  tem- 
ples. 

A  subdued  family  gathered  around  the  table  that 
evening  and  everyone  felt  the  necessity  of  being  quiet 
as  possible.  Even  Fred  and  Jamie  understood  that 
they  must  keep  still,  and  managed  to  keep  their  voices 
down  to  something  less  than  a  shrill  whisper. 


THE  OLD  DOUBTS  AGAIN.  39 

Mrs.  Hay  den  partook  only  of  a  small  cup  of  tea 
and  was  then  assisted  to  her  room,  where  she  expected 
to  remain  for  at  least  two  days  —  the  usual  time. 
Her  husband  spent  the  evening  rubbing  her  head,  bath- 
ing it  with  camphor  and  keeping  the  house  quiet  as 
possible. 

The  next  day  dawned  cloudy  and  grey,  with  a 
faint  mildness  in  the  air,  indicating  a  thaw.  Mabel 
went  to  school,  Fred  and  Jamie  amused  themselves  in 
the  back  parlor  until  they  were  tired  and  then  flat- 
tened their  noses  against  the  window,  trying  to  see 
how  many  drops  of  melted  snow  fell  from  the  porch 
roof. 

"I  want  a  snow  man,"  wailed  Jamie,  suddenly 
remembering  what  papa  said  about  the  snow  long  ago. 

"  Well,  you  can't  have  it,"  said  Fred,  with  great 
decision,  who  generally  opposed  anything  on  principle. 

"  Yes,  we  can.  "We  can  go  out  and  make  one,"  per- 
sisted Jamie. 

"  Jack  Frost'll  bite  your  fingers." 

"  No  he  won't," 

"  He  will— " 

"He  won't eever — " 

"  He  will,  'cos  mamma  said  so,"  said  naughty  Fred. 

Jamie's  little  face  clouded  and  the  lip  began  to 
quiver;  then  a  sudden  thought  striking  him,  he  jumped 
up,  beaming  with  delight,  and  cried,  as  he  ran  towards 
the  hall : 

"  Mamma  said  Jack  Frost  couldn't  find  me  when  I 
had  my  overcoat  and  wed  mittens  on,  and  my  wed 
cap." 


40  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  You  can't  reach  your  coat  an'  you've  lost  your 
mittens,"  insisted  Fred,  with  perseverence  worthy  a 
better  cause. 

"  O,  yes  I  can.  I  can  'tep  on  my  high  chair,"  drag- 
ging it  after  him. 

"I  can  get  my  things  on  first,"  said  Fred  who  sud- 
denly decided  in  favor  of  the  snow  man,  and  hurriedly 
suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  rushed  to  get  his  coat 
which  hung  under  Jamie's,  just  as  Jamie  reached  his 
little  hands  up  to  get  his.  Fred  gave  a  tremendous  flirt 
and  pull  at  his  coat  which  overbalanced  his  little 
brother  and  down  came  the  high  chair  and  Jamie 
plump  upon  the  luckless  Fred,  whose  angry  squeals  and 
kicks,  mingled  with  Jamie's  loud  shrieks  of  terror  made 
a  commotion  that  brought  Anna,  the  housekeeper,  to 
the  rescue. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ? "  as  she  plucked  Jamie  from, 
the  general  debris. 

"  Fred  pulled  me  down — " 

"  Jamie  jumped  on  me,"  said  both  at  once  as  soon 
as  they  could  get  their  breath. 

"  An',  I  aint  lost  my  wed  mittens,  an'  my  little 
white  leg  is  broke  off,"  cried  Jamie  suddenly,  spying 
the  oft-mended  leg  of  the  high-chair,  which  in  this 
melee,  had  completely  severed  company  with  the  rest 
of  the  chair,  and  now  mutely  appealed  for  help  to  be 
put  on  again. 

"  There,  there,  papa  can  mend  it  all  right  again. 
Don't  cry,  little  man.  Now  Fred,  you  must  stop  crying 
and  play  nice  with  Jamie  and  not  quarrel  so  much. 
There !  I  hear  mamma's  bell ;  I  must  go  see  what  she 


THE  OLD  DOUBTS  AGAIN.  41 

wants.  Run  away  and  be  quiet,  for  mamma  can't 
stand  a  bit  of  noise  to-day,"  and  Anna  left  them  again 
to  their  own  devices.  Jamie  carefully  laid  the  little 
white  leg  away  in  his  box  of  playthings,  and  then  both 
children  went  back  to  the  window  to  watch  the  drops 
again. 

"  I  see  one,  two,  three,  seven,  four,  ten  — "  slowly 
counted  Jamie  as  the  crystal  drops  fell. 

"  Oh,  I  see  a  ice  berg,  an'  I'm  goin'  to  get  it  for 
candy,"  shouted  Fred  as  he  ran  out  on  the  porch  and 
seized  an  icicle.  It  seemed  so  nice  out  there  that  he 
stayed  and  called  Jamie  to  come,  too.  They  were 
delighted  with  the  new  plaything  and  new  sights, 
and  any  thought  of  being  cold  or  needing  their  coats 
never  entered  their  minds,  so  the  icicle, -the  beautiful 
drops,  and  finally  the  snow  claimed  their  attention 
until  they  were  at  last  happily  engaged  in  the  much- 
desired  occupation  of  making  a  snow  man. 

It  was  near  noon  and  the  sun  had  finally  rifted  the 
grayest  clouds,  and  was  sending  such  warm  smiles  on 
the  snow-laden  earth  that  trees  and  fences,  roofs  and 
ridges  burst  into  tears  of  joy.  So,  of  ten  does  the  sun- 
shiny smile  melt  the  ice-bound  prison  of  discontent  or 
misunderstanding. 

Fred  and  Jamie  were  in  the  midst  of  their  interest- 
ing creation  when  Mr.  Hayden  came  home  to  dinner. 

"  Boys !  boys  ! "  he  called  from  the  gate  as  soon  as 
he  saw  them.  "  You'll  catch  vour  death  of  cold  :  run 

m 

into  the  house,  quick  !  Why  haven't  you  something  on 
your  heads  and  rubbers  on  your  feet?"  and  without 
waiting  to  hear  their  vociferous  reply,  he  hurried  them 
into  the  house. 


4i  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  Oh,  but  it  was  such  fun,  papa,  an'  we  was  goin'  to 
put  two  coals  in  his  head,  cos'  his  eyes  was  black,  you 
know,  an'  your  old  mashed  hat  for  his  head,  an' — " 

•  "An'  me  foun'  a  'tick  for  his  arm,"  interrupted 
Jamie,  who  must  be  sure  papa  knew  all  about  this  won- 
derful man. 

"  Yes,  he  looks  very  promising,  and  I  guess  I'll  have 
to  finish  him  for  you  ;  but  you  must  not  go  out  again 
to-day.  Just  think  what  would  we  do  if  you  should 
be  sick  while  mamma  must  be  in  bed.  Poor  mamma, 
she  would  feel  bad  and  cry  because  she  couldn't  help 
you,  and  it  would  make  her  feel  very  sorry  indeed  to 
know  her  little  boys  went  out  without  somebody 
saying  they  might." 

"  Well,  papa,  we  didn't  mean  to  go  'thout  our 
things  on,  but  two  of  the  beautifullest  icebergs  bunged 
down  an'  we  played  they  was  candy  an'  all  the  pretty 
drops  said  stop,  stop,  stop,  an'  —  " 

"  Yes,  an'  the  'no  was  full  of  'tars  'at  sinned  right 
up  at  us  an'  laughed  an'  played  hide  an'  seek  wiv  each 
other." 

"An'  Jamie  wanted  to  make  a  snow  man,"  sud- 
denly remembered  Fred. 

"Cos papa  did  when  he  was  a  little  boy,  an'  he 
telled  me  sometimes  so  could  I  — 

"Oh,  you  little  rogues,  it  is  well  you  can  trace  it 
back,"  laughed  papa,  catching  each  small  man,  and 
placing  upon  his  knees. 

"  Why,  look  here,  your  shoes  are  all  wet,  and  your 
fingers  red,  and  your  clothes  sprinkled  with  water. 
This  will  never  do.  Take  off  your  shoes,  Fred.  Here, 


THE  OLD  DOUBTS  AGAIN.  tf 

Anna,"  he  called,  as  he  heard  her  in  the  dining  room, 
"  bring  some  dry  stockings  and  aprons.  These  boys 
have  been  out  in  the  wet  snow,  and  must  be  changed 
right  away.  Put  a  flannel  round  their  necks,  too. 
I'm  afraid  they'll  have  the  croup  to-night."  With  as 
much  haste  as  possible,  he  stripped  off  their  wet 
clothes,  chafed  their  hands  and  feet,  and  with  an 
anxious  look  left  them,  to  go  and  speak  to  his  wife 
who,  when  suffering  from  headache  could  allow  no 
one  to  enter  the  room  except  her  husband  or  Anna. 

That  night  the  whole  household  were  aroused  by 
the  hoarse  and  unmistakable  cough  of  croup.  Jamie 
had  taken  cold,  as  his  father  feared  he  would.  The 
doctor  was  sent  for  in  wild  haste,  and  after  several 
hours  of  watchful  care  and  frequent  taking  of  hive 
syrup  or  ipecac,  Jamie  was  at  last  sleeping  quietly, 
and  every  one  felt  that  after  this,  at  least,  those  chil- 
dren should  be  so  well  guarded  that  escape  would  be 
impossible,  and  the  dreaded  enemy  kept  out.  This 
was  always  a  result  of  exposure,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hayden  had  often  wished  for  the  time  when  Jamie 
would  outgrow  the  attacks  as  that  really  seemed  the 
only  thing  in  which  lay  any  hope. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

"  Build  thee  more  stately  mansions 

Oh  my  soul, 

As  the  swift  seasons  roll, 

Leave  thy  low  vaulted  past. 

Let  each  new  temple  nobler  than  the  last 

Shut  thee  from  heaven  with  a  dome  more  vast, 

Till  thou  at  length  art  free: 

Leaving  thine  outgrown  shell  by  life's  unresting  sea." 

—0.   W.  Holmes. 

MOW  do  you  do  Mrs.  Hayden  ?  You  see  I  come  in 
without  ceremony  as  usual,  but  I  heard  you'd 
had  one  of  your  headaches  again,"  and  Mrs.  Reade 
seated  herself  cosily  on  the  sofa  near  which  Mrs. 
Hayden  sat  languidly  trying  to  read. 

"  Oh,  I  have  about  recovered  my  usual  strength,  but 
of  course  I  must  be  careful  and  not  get  excited  or 
overworked,  though  my  work  I  am  sorry  to  say,  does 
not  amount  to  much."  After  a  few  moments  common- 
place conversation,  Mrs.  Reade  said,  carefully: 

"Now  Mrs.  Hayden,  I  believe  there  is  a  help  for 
you  somewhere.  Wouldn't  you  like  to  try  something 
new '." 

"  Why,  you  know  I  would  try  anything  that  would 
give  relie'f,  but  I  have  exhausted  everything  that 
ever  was  heard  of,  and  now  every  remedy  seems  very 
transient  or  of  no  effect  at  all." 

Mrs.  Ilayden  leaned  wearily  back  in  her  chair  and 
seemed  to  think  there  was  no  use  discussing  the  subject 


TOO  GOOD  TO  BE  TRUE.  45 

any  longer.     After  a  few  moments    thoughtful  silence, 
Mrs.  Reade  looked  up  at  her  friend  and  said,  timidly: 

"Mrs.  Hayden,  have  you  ever  heard  of  Christian 
Science?" 

"  No.     What  is  it  ?" 

"I  can't  tell,  only  that  it  is  just  the  most  wonderful 
panacea  for  all  ills  that  ever  was  discovered  and  they 
say  it  can  be  learned,  and  applied  by  everybody." 

"  Do  }7ou  mean  that  I  could  learn  it  and  could  then 
cure  myself  ?" 

"  Yes,  that  is  what  they  claim." 

"Why,  Mrs.  Ileade,  what  is  all  this  wonderful 
news,  and  if  it  is  true,  why  hasn't  the  world  heard  of 
it  before  ?"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Hayden  with  an  amused 
smile. 

Mrs.  Reade  did  not  return  the  smile  but  a  still  more 
earnest  look  came  into  her  eyes.  She  bent  over  her 
bit  of  sewing  for  a  moment  and  then  looking  up,  as 
though  resolved  to  speak  the  truth  at  any  cost,  she 
went  on : 

"  Mrs.  Hayden,  it  is  the  fulfillment  of  the  promises 
in  the  Bible,  that  to  them,  that  believe,  these  signs 
should  be  given.  You  remember  the  passage  don't 
you,  where  Jesus  gave  His  disciples  the  same  power  to 
heal  that  He  had  ?" 

"  Well,  but  that  was  long  ago,  and  the  promise  was 
for  the  disciples,  I  suppose." 

"  No,  it  was  for  everybody ;  and  do  you  know,  Mrs. 
Hayden,  I  can  hardly  wait  to  learn,  this  new  science, 
I  am  so  interested." 

"  How  did  you  hear  about  it  ?" 


46  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  When  I  was  down  to  Mapleton  last  summer  I  heard 
something  about  it  through  a  friend  of  mine,  who  was 
cured  of  chronic  congestive  headaches,  and  now  my 
cousin,  Miss  Greening,  from  Norfolk,  has  come  on  to 
spend  the  holidays  with  us,  and  strange  to  say,  she  has 
been  cured  of  weak  eyes — just  came  straight  from 
Princeton  where  she  was  treated,  and — and — well,  the 
fact  is,  I  want  you  to  come  over  and  see  her  and  may  be 
you  can  be  cured." 

Mrs.  Reade  was  quite  frightened  for  having  said  so 
much,  but  was  reassured  by  the  growing  interest  in 
Mrs.  Hayden's  eyes. 

"  And  you  know  these  things  to  be  true  ?  Why,  it 
is  wonderful.  How  is  it  done,  by  prayer  ?  " 

"  Not  exactly,  but  it  is  by  some  process  of  think- 
ing. Oh,  I  can't  begin  to  tell  you,  only  that  it  is  won- 
derful, and  you  must  come  over  and  talk  with  cousin 
Helen." 

"I  am  afraid  to  trust  myself  out  in  this  uncertain 
weather.  Can't  you  both  come  and  take  tea  with  us 
to-morrow?  I  hope  to  be  well  enough  then,  and  it 
would  be  a  great  pleasure,  for  if  there  is  any  trutli  in 
this,  I  want  to  know  it.  Do  come." 

This  was  a  good  deal  for  Mrs.  Hayden  to  say,  but 
she  was  very  earnest  when  aroused  to  interest. 

"  Yes,  we  will,"  said  Mrs.  Reade,  as  she  rose  to  go, 
looking  straight  into  her  friend's  eyes  with  joyful  ear- 
nestness, "and  I  am  so  glad.  Good  bye,"  and  she 
retreated  as  unceremoniously  as  she  had  come,  leaving 
Mrs.  Hayden  to  wonder  why  she  should  be  so  childishly 
pleased  over  that  invitation.  It  never  occurred  to  her 


TOO  GOOD  TO  BE  TRUE.  47 

that  Mrs.  Reade  should  be  so  glad  to  come  merely  to 
tell  more  about  this  new  way  of  getting  well. 

Mrs.  Eeade  was  a  young  housekeeper,  who,  living 
just  across  the  street,  was  in  the  habit  of  often  running 
in  to  Mrs.  Hayden  with  her  little  vexations,  her  tri- 
umphs of  cookery,  her  questions  of  how  to  manage 
little  May,  or  what  to  do  in  matters  of  household  fur- 
nishing. She  was  a  very  progressive  little  woman,  and, 
perhaps  owing  to  the  influence  of  Mrs.  Hayden,  was 
ready  at  least  to  give  everything  a  fair  hearing.  This 
new  "  craze,"  as  some  called  it,  had  been  presented  to  her 
in  a  way  that  compelled  her  attention  and.  commanded 
her  respect,  and  especially  since  her  cousin's  coming 
had  she  been  intensely  interested. 

Particularly  was  she  desirous  of  enlisting  the  atten- 
tion of  Mrs.  Hayden,  who  not  only  needed  the  physical 
help  to  be  obtained,  but  who  would  be  an  excellent 
advocate  of  the  principles,  providing  she  could  endorse 
them,  as  Mrs.  Reade  was  sure  she  would,  if  she  could 
only  be  made  to  understand. 

So  it  was  with  great  anticipated  pleasure  Mrs. 
Reade  introduced  her  cousin  to  Mrs.  Hayden  as  they 
went  in  the  next  day. 

"  Now,  Cousin  Helen,  just  tell  Mrs.  Hayden  how 
you  were  cured.  lam  so  anxious  to  set. the  ball  roll- 
ing, "  said  Mrs.  Reade,  with  an  arch  look  at  Mrs. 
Hayden  after  they  were  comfortably  settled  for  their 
talk. 

"  Yes,  indeed,  "  added  Mrs.  Hayden ;  "  if  you  have 
half  as  wonderful  a  message  as  Mrs.  Reade  fondly 
imagines  I  shall  be  delighted  to  hear  it,  but  I  would 


48  THE  EIGHT  KNOCK. 

first  like  to  ask  -what  was  the  trouble  with  your  eyes, 
and  something  as  to  their  condition  when  you  first 
looked  into  this  method  of  healing.  " 

"  I  had  been  obliged  to  leave  school  because  they 
were  so  weak.  They  were  inflamed  and  bloodshot.  I 
could  not  bear  to  go  out  in  the  wind,  ride  on  the  cars, 
or  have  any  excitement  whatever.  The  occulists  said 
the  trouble  was  caused  by  a  physical  defect  that  could 
not  be  remedied,  so  you  may  imagine  my  despair. 
Father  and  mother  came  home  from  a  visit  in  Kansas, 
and  while  there  they  had  heard  of  a  lady  in  Princeton 
who  was  having  remarkable  success  with  mind-cure,  as 
they  called  it.  They  coaxed  me  to  go  and  try  it.  I 
had  no  faith,  but  to  please  them  thought  I  would  go. 
It  could  do  no  harm,  they  said.  The  journey,  though 
only  sixty  miles  from  home,  was  very  hard  for  me. 
When  I  arrived  at  Mrs.  Harmon's  it  seemed  as  though 
I  could  hardly  bear  the  pain  caused  by  the  journey. 

"Mrs.  Harmon  allowed  me  to  stay  right  at  her 
home,  and  though  only  there  a  week,  I  was  not  only 
cured,  but  learned  the  principles  and  how  to  apply 
them.  After  the  first  treatment  I  felt  so  well  and 
happy  she  told  me  I  could  use  my  eyes  to  read  an 
hour  or  so.  From  the  second  treatment  I  could  use 
them  all  I  wished.  It  was  perfectly  wonderful.  When 
I  went  home  I  was  cured.  That  is  now  three  weeks 
ago,  and  I  have  been  using  my  eyes  constantly,  have 
taken  several  journeys  on  the  cars,  and  gone  out  day 
and  night." 

Mrs.  Hayden  had  listened  with  the  greatest  inter- 
est, her  mind  filled  with  varying  thoughts.  Sudden 


TOO  GOOD  TO  BE  TRUE.  40 

glimpses  of  wonderful  might-be's,  mingled  with  doubts 
and  hopes,  had  chased  each  other  in  wild  confusion 
through  her  bewildered  brain. 

''  Tell  me, "  she  found  breath  at  last  to  ask,  "  what 
is  it,  and  how  is  it  done,  and  can  anybody  do  it  ?" 

Miss  Greening  was  delighted  to  find  so  willing  an 
audience,  for  in  spite  of  her  remarkable  cure,  most  of 
her  family  and  friends  ridiculed  her  new  "  science.  " 

"  Oh,  I  wish  I  could  explain  to  you  as  Mrs.  Harmon 
does.  I  am  so  very  new  in  the  science,  but  I  will  do 
the  best  I  can  to  give  you  some  idea.  The  main  thing 
in  the  beginning  is  to  know  that  you  know  nothing," 
continued  Miss  Greening,  with  a  smile.  "  The  world 
believes  in  the  character  as  it  appears,  to  be  the  real 
character,  that  the  person  who  suffers  sickness,  sorrow, 
disappointment,  anger  or  pain  is  the  real  self.  We 
have  always  taken  the  people  of  the  world,  as  they 
appear,  to  be  the  children  of  God.  This  science  teaches 
that  the  real  child  of  God  is  in  His  image  and  likeness 
and  in  Him  lives,  is  moved  and  has  His  being.  Accord- 
ing to  the  laws  of  thought,  the  thought  of  one  indi- 
vidual affects  another,  and  on  this  principle  the  treat- 
ments are  given,  but  it  is  the  omnipresent  life  Principle 
that  does  the  work. 

"  Oh,  it  is  perfectly  wonderful,  and  if  you  could  see 
what  I  saw  while  I  was  with  Mrs.  Harmon,  you  would 
not  doubt  a  moment.  She  was  busy  from  morning  till 
night  with  patients.  Hardly  had  time  to  eat  or  sleep. 
It  seemed  like  the  times  of  the  New  Testament  come 
back  again.  Mrs.  Harmon  cured  a  man  of  rheumatism, 
where  the  joints  had  been  stiffened  and  contracted  for 


50  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

years,  in  seven  treatments.  The  first  week  the  treat- 
ments did  not  seem  to  have  any  effect,  but  the  second 
week  he  suddenly  recovered  the  use  of  his  arm  and 
limbs,  so  that  he  could  run  and  jump  or  do  anything 
else  that  a  healthy  man  can  do. 

"One  young  girl,  who  was  suffering  from  lead  poi- 
soning so  that  she  was  given  up  by  three  or  four  promi- 
nent physicians,  received  nine  treatments  and,  although 
not  perfectly  strong  and  robust,  was  able  to  walk 
several  blocks  and  was  so  well  that  she  did  not  need 
further  treatment. 

"  Mrs.  Harmon  treated  an  old  lady  of  seventy,  so 
that  she  laid  aside  glasses  and  could  see  to  sew  on  black 
cloth.  A  lady  who  had  been  an  invalid  for  sixteen 
years  was  cured  so  that  in  a  week  she  was  able  to  ride 
a  mile  and  a  half  to  the  lectures. 

"All  these  things  I  saw  with  my  own  eyes,  and  if 
the  evidence  had  not  been  enough  in  my  own  case, 
there  were  all  these  proofs.  And  the  teaching !  Oh, 
it  is  beautiful.  If  we  could  only  live  up  to  that  the 
millenium  would  surely  be  here." 

In  her  enthusiasm  Miss  Greening  scarcely  noticed 
the  effect  of  her  words,  else  she  would  have  seen  Mrs. 
Hayden's  expressive  eyes  full  of  a  yearning,  silent  and 
strong. 

"  Can  it  touch  anyone's  character  or  moral  life  ? " 
she  asked  after  a  moment's  pause. 

"  Yes,  indeed ;  there  is  not  one  thing  in  life  that  is 
not  amenable  to  its  discipline.  Mrs.  Harmon  says  it  is 
a  great  advantage  in  governing  children,  that  every 
mother  ought  to  know  it,  for  the  help  in  that  direction, 
even  if  not  for  their  health." 


TOO  GOOD  TO  BE  TRUE.  51 

"  What  a  wonderful  thing  it  must  be ;  and  yet  I 
always  thought  the  clays  of  miracles  were  past,  if 
indeed  they  ever  were,"  said  Mrs.  Hayden,  thoughtfully. 

"  These  are  not  miracles,  as  the  ordinary  under- 
standing of  that  word  would  imply,  but  are  done  in 
accordance  with  Divine  Law,  the  highest  law, — not  the 
setting  aside  of  any  law,"  interposed  Mrs.  Reade,  who 
had  been  deeply  interested  in  the  conversation,  but 
hitherto  had  been  a  silent  listener. 

"Oh,  mamma,  I  wish  supper  was  ready;  I'm  so 
hungry  !  "  cried  Fred,  bursting  into  the  room,  followed 
by  Jamie  and  Mabel. 

"  Mamma,  can't  we  have  some — "  began  Jamie,  and 
then  stopped,  abashed  at  the  size  of  the  audience. 

"No,  dears;  mamma  don't  want  you  to  eat  any- 
thing before  supper.  You  know  what  Doctor  Jackson 
said  about  the  little  stomachs  that  were  overworked. 
Now,  run  away  and  be  good;  when  everything  is  ready 
mamma'll  call  you." 

"  But  we  want  it  now.  Doctor  Jackson  don't  know 
everything.  It's  only  God  that  knows  everything," 
said  Fred,  with  unanswerable  argument. 

"  Come  away,  Fred,"  whispered  Mabel,  giving  him 
an  impatient  twitch. 

"It's  so,  anyway;  mamma  told  me  about  God  just 
the  other  night." 

"  He  knows  I  want  some  ginger  'naps,"  whimpered 
Jem. 

"Never  mind;  run  out,  as  mamma  says,"  said  Mrs. 
Hayden,  resolutely,  and  the  aggrieved  trio  reluctantly 
departed. 


59  THE  EIGHT  KSOCK. 

"It  would  be  an  immense  help  to  me  if  I  could 
learn  to  manage  these  three  irrepressibles  without 
getting  tired  all  out/'  said  Mrs.  Ilayden,  with  a  little 
sigh. 

"Wouldn't  it  be  splendid?  I  think,  Mrs.  Ilayden, 
you  better  let  Cousin  Helen  treat  you,  and  get  you  all 
cured,  and  then  you  can  go  somewhere  and  learn  how, 
yourself,'*  said  Mrs.  Reade,  as  she  demurely  wound  up 
the  ball. 

Mrs.  Ilayden  looked  up  with  interested  surprise. 
"  Do  you  think  anything  could  be  done  for  me.  Miss 
Greening  ? " 

"A great  many  worse  than  you  have  been  cured, 
why  not  you  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  ;  it  seems  so  far  away  and  so 
intangible  some  way.'' 

"  Now,  Mrs.  Ilayden,  try  it.  Let  Cousin  Helen  treat 
you,"  interposed  Mrs.  Reade. 

"What  must  I  do,  any  mysterious  unheard-of 
thing?"  was  the  answer,  with  a  look  of  evident 
amusement. 

"  Oh,  no !  Just  sit  quietly  passive,  and  be  as  hopeful 
as  possible  during  the  treatment.  The  only  thing  that 
iiii^ht  seem  hard  is  to  give  up  all  medicine  andmaterial 
applications  while  you  are  under  treatment." 

"That  will  not  be  hard  at  all,  for  I  have  lost  all 
faith  in  medicine  anyway.  When  do  you  want  to 
begin,  Miss  Greening  '.  " 

"  Well,  I  am  willing  to  try  my  best  to  help  you,  Mrs. 
Ilayden,  but  you  must  understand,  in  the  first  place, 
that  I  take  no  credit  to  myself,  for  it  is  God's  work. 


TOO  GOOD  TO  BE  TRUE.  63 

Then  I  have  really  not  tried  to  heal  any  one ;  since  it 
was  so  recently  I  was  cured  myself,  there  has  beaen  no 
opportunity,  but  as  I  said,  I  will  do  what  I  can." 

Miss  Greening  spoke  earnestly  and  reverently.  It 
seemed  rather  new  to  her  to  be  called  upon  to  prove  her 
principles,  and  yet  she  had  such  perfect  faith  in  them, 
she  never  thought  of  wavering. 

"  Then  it's  all  settled,  and  you  can  take  your  first 
treatment  tonight,"  spoke  up  Mrs.  Reade,  volubly. 
"  I'm  so  anxious  to  see  you  strong  and  well  like  the 
rest  of  us,"  she  added  half  apologetically. 

"  It  will  seem  too  good  to  be  true.  I  can  not  realize 
such  a  possibility." 

A  thoughtful  silence  fell  upon  the  little  company 
for  a  few  moments,  and  when  they  resumed  their  con- 
versation, it  was  about  something  else. 

At  their  usual  tea  time,  Mr.  Hayden,  accompanied 
by  Mr.  Keade,  came  in,  and  all  were  presently  called 
to  the  dining  room. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hayden  had  dropped  all  pretention 
of  style  in  their  present  circumstances,  and  lived  like 
their  neighbors,  in  a  modest  but  comfortable  way. 
The  children  came  trooping  in  when  they  heard  the 
supper  bell,  and  delightedly  filed  out  to  the  dining  room 
with  their  elders. 

"Well,  I  hope  you  ladies  have  been  enjoying  your- 
selves this  afternoon.  I  notice  ladies  have  that  faculty 
whenever  they  meet  for  an  hour  or  so,"  said  Mr. 
Hayden,  with  a  genial  smile,  as  he  passed  the  plates. 

"  Oh.  we  have  indeed  had  a  lovely  time,  and  a  profit- 
able one,  too,  I  hope,"  said  Mrs.  Reade,  impulsively. 


64  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  You  have  about  converted  Mrs.  Hayden  to  your 
ideas,  you  and  Helen  together,  I  presume,"  remarked 
Mr.  Reade,  as  he  spread  his  napkin  out  to  its  fullest 
capacity. 

"I  should  certainly  like  to  be  converted,  if  so  many 
wonderful  things  are  possible  as  I  have  heard  about 
this  afternoon,"  and  Mrs.  Hayden  showed  by  the 
unusual  energy  in  her  manner  and  the  brightness  of  her 
eyes  that  something  had  inspired  her  to  an  unwonted 
degree. 

"  Well  now,  tell  me  what  all  this  is  about.  You 
seem  to  have  conspired  to  talk  in  riddles,"  exclaimed 
Mr.  Hayden,  with  an  injured  air. 

"Why,  it  is  this  new  'craze'  they  call  Christian 
Science  that  seems  to  have  taken  hold  of  our  worthy 
partners,  Mr.  Hayden,"  explained  Mr.  Reade,  with  a 
half -believing,  half-skeptical  air. 

He  really  believed  much  more  than  he  cared  to 
acknowledge,  but  until  he  was  better  informed  of  Mr. 
Hayden's  opinions,  he  thought  "discretion  the  better 
part  of  valor."  Someway  we  often  stumble  upon  such 
characters  in  life.  Good-natured  souls  they  are,  and 
eo  anxious  to  please  everybody. 

"  I  am  not  sure  but  there  is  a  good  deal  in  that, 
Reade.  I  heard  some  gentleman  talking  about  what 
was  being  done  in  Chicago,  and  it  is  trulv  wonderful. 
After  all,  we  know  that  the  mind  has  a  great  influence 
over  the  body,  and  why  shouldn't  we  discover  new 
abilities  and  powers  in  that  as  we  develop  in  other 
directions?" 

"  To  be  sure ;  just  what  I  have  always  said,  and 


TOO  GOOD  TO  BE  TRUE.  55 

now  I  am  having  an  opportunity  to  prove  it  since  my 
wife  is  willing  to  listen,"  replied  Mr.  Keade,  with 
graceful  diplomacy. 

"  Oh,  there  is  something  far  beyond  what  you 
gentlemen  see  —  something  so  spiritual  and  beautiful, 
that  mere  intellect  can  not  recognize  it.  But  you  will 
come  to  that  after  awhile,  if  you  only  seek  to  know 
for  Truth's  sake,  though  the  recognition  of  what  you 
see  often  comes  first,"  interposed  Miss  Greening,  with 
a  warm  flush  of  enthusiasm  on  her  face. 

"Certainly.  I  believe  our  capacity  to  recognize 
higher  phases  of  thought  grows  with  our  eagerness  to 
receive.  That  is  true  of  any  branch  of  study,"  said 
Mrs.  Hayden,  with  conviction.  She  was  well  pleased 
that  her  husband  was  so  favorably  inclined  to  hear, 
and  expressed  himself  so  cordially.  While  she  was 
quite  independent  in  her  own  way  of  thinking,  it  was 
still  a  keen  pleasure  to  have  her  husband  on  the  same 
side.  He,  on  the  other  hand,  had  great  confidence  in 
her  judgment,  and  generally  allowed  himself  to  be  con- 
vinced, even  if  he  had  an  opinion  in  the  beginning. 
They  had  been  especially  near  to  each  other  the  last 
year. 

Miss  Greening  was  mentally  congratulating  herself 
on  having  found  such  a  ready  audience,  and  felt  as 
though  she  could  do  anything  in  the  way  of  healing, 
as  she  talked  on  and  on,  telling  them  the  many  things 
that  had  happened  in  Princeton.  She  finished  by  say- 
ing, enthusiastically : 

"  When  I  had  such  wonderful  proofs  right  before 
my  eyes,  do  you  wonder  that  I  looked  with  awe  and 


66  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

astonishment  and  wanted  to  know  the  secret  of  this 
power?  Can  you  wonder  that  I  felt  anxious  to  go 
forth  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  ?  Oh, 
how  delightful,  I  thought,  to  carry  such  blessed  news 
and  be  able  to  give  such  blessed  proof !  So  when 
Cousin  Ruth's  letter  came,  asking  me  to  make  IKT  a 
visit,  I  felt  that  perhaps  an  opportunity  would  oifer 
in  which  I  might  demonstrate  the  truth  of  my  precious 
science,  and  here  it  is  ready  for  me,  the  very  work  I 
wanted.  Yes,  just  as  far  as  possible  will  I  use  my 
knowledge,  though  as  yet  it  is  but  little,  to  help  Mrs. 
Hayden." 

Miss  Greening  had  waxed  eloquent  in  her  uncon- 
scious enthusiasm,  and  seeing  the  whole  company  gaz- 
ing at  her  in  astonished  admiration,  she  paused  sud- 
denly, with  a  vivid  flush  on  her  face,  saying:  "  Pardon 
me.  I  did  not  mean  to  monopolize  the  conversation." 

"  That  apology  is  entirely  unnecessary,  for  we  have 
been  listening  to  something  so  new  that  its  very  new- 
ness and  unconventionality  is  quite  refreshing,  and 
certainly  interesting,"  said  Mr.  Hayden,  warmly. 

"  Surely,  there  must  be  some  healing  virtue  even  in 
your  talk,  for  I  feel  remarkably  well  to-day,"  was  his 
wife's  delighted  addition. 

'•  How  glad,  oh,  how  glad  I  am,"  fluttered  Mrs. 
Reade. 

A  movement  from  Jem  caused  Mrs.  Hayden  to 
notice  his  extra  dish  of  sauce  and  huge  piece  of  frosted 
cake. 

"  No,  Jem,  dear,  you  mustn't  eat  any  more  to-night, 
and  you  know  mamma  don't  want  you  to  have  any 
cake." 


TOO  GOOD  TO  HE  TRUE.  S7 

"  O-o-o-h,  ]>eaze,  tan't  I  have  some  more  ?" 

"  Not  any  more  to-day.  You  know  you  had  to  be 
sick  all  night,  not  long  ago,  and  mamma  had  to  give 
you  some  medicine.  You  don't  want  to  have  to  take 
paregoric,  do  you  ? " 

"  No-o-o,  but  I  want  e  take  !" 

"  Mamma  said  you  couldn't  have  any.  You're  too 
little,  anyway.  Didn't  I  tell  you  I  ought  to  have  the 
biggest  piece  'cause  my  stomach's  the  biggest,  an'  I'm 
not  afraid  of  stomachache.  Give  me  your  sauce,  if  you 
can't  eat  it,"  said  shameless  Fred. 

Papa  and  mamma  Hayden  looked  upon  their  oldest 
son  in  dismay,  as  he  thus  openly  delivered  his 
sentiments. 

"Hush,  Freddie,  you  mustn't  want  any  more, 
either,  nor  talk  that  way  to  Jem.  You  have  had 
enough  for  to-night." 

"Well,  I've  had  six  biscuits  any  way,"  and  Fred 
settled  himself  back  with  a  satisfied  air  as  though  he 
could  stand  anything  if  necessary,  while  poor  Jem 
was  taken  away  from  the  table  crying  as  if  his  heart 
would  break  at  the  loss  of  his  coveted  sweets. 

"  You  see,  we  seldom  have  company,  and  the  chil- 
dren are  unused  to  sweet  things  as  a  rule,  because  the 
doctor  always  says  their  diet  must  be  carefully  attended 
to,  in  order  to  avoid  inflammation  of  the  bowels,  which 
Jem  once  had,"  explained  Mrs.  Hayden  with  the  old 
look  of  weariness  for  a  moment  settling  back  on  her  face. 

"  Just  wait  till  you  have  studied  Christian  Science 
and  then  see  how  to  manage,"  said  Mrs.  Reade  with 
sparkling  eyes. 


58 


TILE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 


"  Have  you  taken  such  a  fancy  to  this  too  Mrs. 
Reade?"  asked  Mr.  Iluyden,  rather  teasingly. 

"  Oh,  she's  almost  a  crank  now"  answered  her  hus- 
band, with  a  merry  twinkle. 

"Well,  it  is  very  good  to  have  such  an  article  in  the 
family.  It  keeps  things  lively  and  announces  the 
world's  progress  with  unerring  certainty,"  she  retorted, 
and  with  this  good-natured  sally  they  rose  from  the 
table.  The  evening  was  spent  in  a  mixture  of  small 
talk  and  earnestness,  and  before  they  departed  Mrs. 
Hayden  received  her  first  treatment. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

"Like  an  ^Eolian  harp,  that  wakes 
No  certain  air,  but  overtakes 
Far  thought  with  music  that  it  makes, — 

"Such  seemed  the  whisper  at  my  side  ; 
'  What  is't  thou  knowest,  sweet  voice? '  I  cried ; 
'  A  hidden  hope,'  the  voice  replied." 

— Tennyson. 

'HE  second  morning  after  this  Mrs.  Hayden 
awoke,  feeling  much  better  than  she  had  for 
months.  A  strange,  happy  feeling  possessed  her.  All 
that  had  seemed  dark  and  hopeless  now  appeared  as 
nothing  but  gossamer  fog- wreaths.  The  world  seemed 
so  joyous  and  beautiful.  God  seemed  so  near,  so  lov- 
ing, so  all-protecting.  Why  had  she  ever  doubted  the 
possibility  of  health  ?  Surely  it  was  easy  to  feel  well 
when  she  felt  happy ;  and  yet.  would  this  last  ?  Had  this 
delightful  change  any  connection  with  Miss  Green- 
ing's treatment  ?  No,  surely  not.  It  would  be  too 
unreasonable  to  expect  any  benefit  so  soon,  besides, 
she  was  probably  no  better  physically,  that  is,  her 
lameness  and  dyspepsia  were  not  touched  as  yet,  if 
indeed  they  ever  could  be.  Well,  how  it  would 
astonish  everybody  if  she  really  were  cured,  and  could 
walk  like  her  old  self  again.  Her  stiffened  limb 
would  have  to  undergo  a  marvelous  change,  but  time 
would  tell — it  seemed  nothing  was  beyond  reach  of 
this  extraordinary  Power.  Miss  Greening  was  so  sin- 
cere and  earnest,  she  could  not  for  a  moment  doubt  the 

69 


60  THE  Ri<;nr  KXOCK. 

truth  of  her  statements,  besides  Mr.  Hayden  himself 
confessed  to  having  heard  of  the  wonderful  works, 
though  he  had  never  mentioned  it  before,  strangely 
enough.  At  the  time  it  probably  appeared  so  vague 
and  visionary,  that  he  had  thought  best  not  to  excite 
her  curiosity  and  hope  without  cause. 

How  glad  she  was  that  he  had  at  last  allowed  her 
to  try  this  without  ridiculing  or  scolding  her.  How 
beautiful  this  theory  was,  but  it  seemed  too  good  to  be 
true.  She  would  not  be  carried  a. way  with  it  until  she 
had  demonstrated  beyond  doubt,  until  she  could  see 
the  reason  and  understand  it. 

The  clock  struck  nine.  Why,  it  was  time  to  rise, 
ami  she  really  felt  hungry,  so  hungry  that  dry  toast 
and  hot  water  had  no  attractions  for  her.  She  won- 
dered if  there  would  be  anything  on  the  table  she 
dared  not  eat;  it  would  be  hard  to  resist  if  there 
were.  Thus  musing  she  dressed'  with  more  alacrity 
and  energy  than  she  had  displayed  for  many  months. 

Her  husband  stood  in  the  doorway  as  she  left  her 
room,  and  remarked  as  they  went  down  stairs: 

'•  You  must  have  had  a  good  sleep  last  night,  you 
are  so  bright  and  spry  this  morning.  " 

"  Yes,  indeed,  I  can  scarcely  remember  when  the 
night  has  passed  so  quickly  and  the  morning  seemed 
so  exhilarating ;  please  help  me  down  this  turn,  won't 
you  ?  It  is  ;il \vays  so  hard  to  get  down  stairs/' 

The  cane  was  brought  into  requisition,  and  with 
Mr.  Ilaydrn's  help,  the  stairs  were  descended,  but  the 
refractory  limb  was  forgotten  again  in  the  interest  with 
which  she  viewed  the  breakfast  table. 


A  NEW  HOPE.  61 

"  Mamma,  we've  waited  and  waited  till  we  thought 
we'd  have  to  eat  something,  so  we  each  took  a  dough- 
nut to  save  time,"  was  the  explanatory  greeting  of  Fred, 
who  acted  as  spokesman  for  the  three  hungry  culprits, 
who  had  this  time  at  least,  disobeyed  the  imperative 
injunction  not  to  eat  cake  the  first  thing  in  the  morn- 
ing. 

"  Whv,  children,  don't  you  remember  how  Dr.  Jack- 
son — "  " 

"Wei!,  mamma,  I  heard  that  lady  'at  was  here,  say 
'twould  n't  hurt  us  to  eat  if  you  wasn't  so  'fraid  'bout 
our  stomachs ;  an'  she's  a  doctor,  too,  an'  ladies  know 
's  much  's  men,  'cos  you  said  so,"  interrupted  the  irre- 
pressible, as  usual,  with  unanswerable  argument. 

'•Well,  we'll  see  this  time,  but  you  must  be  more 
careful  to  remember  what  mamma  wishes  you  to  do," 
said  Mrs.  Hayden  more  mildly  than  usual,  while  her 
eyes  smiled  a  little. 

The  breakfast  was  brought  in,  and,  much  to  thtf 
astonishment  of  all,  she  recklessly  disregarded  the  dry 
toast  and  hot  water,  mutely  appealing  to  her  from  the 
side  of  her  plate,  and  ate  heartily  of  beefsteak,  pota 
toes  and  pan  cakes.  "  I  am  so  hungry,  and  will  risk  it 
on  the  strength  of  Fred's  reminder,"  she  apologized, 
as  she  sent  her  plate  the  third  time  for  cakes. 

"  Don't  tell  me  you've  no  faith  in  Fred's  newly 
acquired  wisdom,"  laughed  Mr.  Hayden,  and  then 
added,  with  some  concern,  "  but,  really,  my  dear,  you 
ought  to  be  careful.  Remember  the  condition  of  your 
stomach." 

"  That  is  just  what  she  told  me  to  forget." 


6S  '      THE  RIGHT  KNOCK 

"  "Well,  it  beats  all  how  things  can  be  turned  upside 
down,"  mused  Mr.  Hay  den,  as  he  rose  from  the  table 
preparatory  to  going  to  the  store. 

"  It  certainly  is  strange  about  this,  for  you  remem- 
ber yesterday,  I  even  walked  over  to  Mrs.  Reade's  and 
back  without  any  unusual  fatigue." 

"Oh,  yes  !  I've  noticed  various  daring  breaches  of 
the  old  code,  and,  more  than  all,  I've  seen  the  best  color 
in  your  face  that  has  been  there  for  many  a  month," 
and  he  went  out  with  a  thoughtful  expression  on  his 
face. 

"Mamma's  well  now,"  said  little  Jem,  timidly, '"cos 
she  puts  me  to  bed." 

"Yes,  an'  we  can  make  a  noise  when  we  dress,  an' 
talk  'bout  Christmas,"  added  Fred,  as  he  was  walking 
about,  wiping  his  hands,  in  his  usual  restless  manner. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

"  There  are  more  things  in  heaven  and  earth,  Horatio, 
Than  are  dreamt  of  in  your  philosophy." — Shakespeare. 

course  Kate  and  Grace  were  told  about  the 
new  way  of  being  healed,  and  Grace  looked  on  at 
first  with  her  usual  incredulity,  but  when  she  saw  Mrs. 
Hayden  getting  so  well  and  looking  so  happy,  she  be- 
gan to  wonder  and  then  to  exclaim.  Then  she  wanted 
to  learn  something  about  this  new  "doctrine,"  and 
Mrs.  Hayden  had  Miss  Greening  come  over  and  meet 
the  girls  one  evening  so  they  could  hear  her  explain  a 
little  about  it.  Grace  was  delighted,  saying  that  was 
more  reasonable  than  anything  she  had  ever  heard. 

"  I  really  should  like  to  learn  it,"  she  said  for  the 
third  time  as  they  walked  home. 

"  Why,  you  are  really  enthusiastic  about  it,"  said 
Kate,  giving  the  artistic  arm  a  gentle  squeeze. 

"  I  must  confess,  Kate,  that  it  is  nearer  my  idea  of 
religion  than  anything  I  ever  heard,  and  it  is  marvelous 
to  see  Mrs.  Hayden.  Did  you  see  how  bright  she 
looked  to-night?  More  like  her  old  self  than  since 
her  sickness.  I  can't  understand  it." 

"She  said  her  limb  was  actually  growing  natural 
again  so  she  could  bend  it,"  added  Kate. 

"If  she  could  be  cured,  it  would  be  a  wonderful 
demonstration  or  proof  of  the  theory,"  remarked 
Grace. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know  Grace,  I  am  afraid,  after  all, 


64  THE  SIGHT  KNOCK. 

it  might  be  wrong.  You  know  it  says  in  the  Bible  we 
are  to  beware  of  false  doctrines,  and  the  miracles  of 
anti-Christ,  and  this  may  be  that  very  thing,"  said 
Kate,  with  a  sudden  smiting  of  conscience  and  re- 
proaching herself  that  she  had  not  thought  of  this  be- 
fore. She  had  been  brought  up  a  strict  Methodist, 
but  had  grown  rather  careless  of  religious  matters,  till 
all  at  once  she  realized  the  mighty  import  of  her  back- 
sliding. 

"I  don't  think  if  there  is  such  a  thing,  it  could  do 
so  much  good,  and  good  power  must  come  from  the  God 
of  goodness."  answered  Grace,  with  unusual  gentleness. 
They  walked  on  in  silence,  each  pondering  her  own 
thoughts. 

Three  weeks  after,  Mrs.  Hayden  was  known  as  a 
restored  invalid,  was  daily  answering  a  thousand 
questions  as  to  how  it  was  done.  Was  it  really  so? 
Could  she  walk  as  well  as  ever?  Didn't  she  get  tired  ? 
Had  she  any  faith  after  all  ?  etc. 

She  patiently  told  them  the  truth  of  the  matter, 
that  her  limb  had  become  well  and  pliable  as  ever,  that 
her  stomach  was  perfectly  sound,  her  head  free  from 
nervous  aching,  her  nights  a  joyous  rest  and  her  days 
a  round  of  delightful  labor. 

For  the  first  time  she  learned  there  had  been  many 
cures,  and  several  classes  taught  in  Hampton,  but  no 
case  had  excited  the  attention,  public  and  private,  that 
hers  had. 

The  various  members  of  society  wagged  their 
wise  heads,  and  cast  mingled  glances  of  pity,  wonder, 
ridicule  or  disdain  upon  the  poor  deluded  victim,  of  the 


WHAT  THE  WORLD  SAID.  «65 

"  latest  humbug."  Even  the  select  circles  heard  of  it 
as  a  report  finally  reached  the  daily  paper,  which 
appeared  with  a  glaring  head  and  ridiculous  com- 
ments. 

One  of  the  weeklies  contented  itself  by  reprinting 
a  scathing  denunciation  from  a  prominent  religious 
paper.  Another  contained  clippings  from  an  Iowa 
paper  giving  an  account  of  the  arrest  and  trial  of  a  so- 
called  Christian  Scientist  for  illegal  practice.  But  it 
failed  to  add  that  "  the  judge  instructed  the  jury 
to  return  a  verdict  for  the  defendant,"  remarking 
that  "under  the  constitution  and  laws  of  Iowa  it  is  no 
crime  for  a  person  to  pray  for  his  afflicted  neighbor." 

Among  the  worthy  M.  D.'s,  a  miniature  storm 
arose  and  spent  itself  in  the  characteristic  fashion  of 
storms,  now  carrying  everything  before  it,  in  its 
impetuous  fury,  now  quietly  subsiding  into  a  ripple  of 
condescending  concession,  or  languid  comment,  now 
breaking  out  with  renewed  force  into  explosive  epithets 
or  vindictive  rage. 

Dr.  Grouse  expressed  his  astonishment  that  any- 
body should  have  the  audacity  to  practice  medicine 
without  a  diploma,  as  this  woman  evidently  did,  and 
demanded  that  the  authorities  enforce  the  law  at  once 
with  the  utmost  rigor — ."  Such  quacks  ought  to  be  dealt 
with  without  mercy,  as  an  example  to  other  upstarts !" 
and  with  an  angry  growl  the  doctor  recklessly  spat  the 
whole  width  of  the  sidewalk. 

Dr.  Jones  admitted  that  the  mind  had  a  great  deal 
to  do  with  the  body,  and  possibly  this  mind  cure  might 
help  nervous  prostration  or  hysterical  women,  but  if 


66  THE  EIGHT  KNOCK. 

Mrs.  Hayden's  limb  was  healed,  depend  upon  it,  the 
medicine  taken  all  those  months  was  the  cause. 

Dr.  Bundy  considered  the  matter  too  absurd  to  even 
mention. 

Dr.  Hone  went  up  and  down  the  streets,  loudly 
denouncing  such  "humbugs,"  while  his  partner,  Lap- 
land, laughed  at  the  preposterous  idea  of  learning  all 
about  materia  medica  in  three  weeks!  "It  is  simply 
ridiculous,  sheer  nonsense!  Ha,  ha,  ha!"  and  the 
office  fairly  shook  at  the  outburst  of  merriment. 

On  the  other  hand,  Dr.  Wilson  was  deeply  inter- 
ested, and  went  so  far  as  to  call  on  Miss  Greening, 
and  to  her  he  frankly  admitted  there  was  an  unaccount- 
able power  in  the  mind  some  way,  and  if  it  did  the 
work  for  suffering  humanity  he  was  quite  ready  to 
welcome  it,  and  anxious,  for  his  part,  to  investigate 
the  matter. 

Kind,  liberal  Dr.  Jackson,  Mrs.  Hayden's  former 
family  physician,  shook  his  head  wonderingly,  but  said 
nothing.  He  was  a  careful  thinker  and  needed  time 
for  his  conclusions,  but  as  every  one  well  knew,  he  had 
the  friendliest,  most  charitable  heart  that  ever  was, 
and  very  candid,  withal,  in  his  judgments,  and  fair  in 
his  investigations.  So  in  time  they  would  know  what 
he  thought.  It  was  whispered  about  that  he  had 
already  invested  in  some  books,  and  was  quietly  study- 
ing Christian  Science  in  his  leisure  moments. 

Among  the  churches  no  less  of  a  tumult  raged. 
Rev.  Rush  preached  a  stirring  sermon  about  the  evil 
days  in  which  even  the  very  elect  should  be  deceived 
by  the  miracles  of  anti-Christ,  and  warned  his  hearers 
against  being  beguiled. 


WHAT  THE  WORLD  SAID.  67 

Rev.  Long  openly  denounced  Christian  Science  as 
but  another  form  of  spiritualism,  and  admonished  his 
flock  to  beware  of  ravening  wolves. 

Rev.  Morton  mildly  preached  about  being  steadfast 
to  the  old  faith,  avoiding  investigation  in  anything  new, 
while  from  the  gentle,  spiritually  minded  Prof.  Mill 
was  heard  an  eloquent  disquisition  on  the  promises  and 
the  all-abiding  power  of  God. 

All  shades  and  phases  of  ministerial  sentiments 
were  expressed,  and  whatever  was  grand  and  Christ- 
like  sprang  up  as  dainty,  fragrant  blossoms  amid  the 
wayside  weeds  of  falsity  and  Pharisaical  bigotry. 

The  ladies'  sewing  societies  discussed  the  subject  to 
its  fullest  extent  with  widely  varying  opinions,  some 
exclaiming  with  wonder  and  awe  that  it  certainly  must 
be  a  higher  power  that  would  perform  such  miracles ; 
others  that  it  was  nothing  but  mesmerism.  A  few  rev- 
erently expressed  their  conviction  that  Mrs.  Hay  den- 
was  extremely  fortunate  to  be  chosen  for  such  a  favor, 
while  still  others  of  quite  a  contrary  mind  declared 
it  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  the  devil,  who  was 
stealthily  taking  possession  of  the  weak. 

One  timid  little  woman  ventured  to  say  that  it 
could  not  be  Satan,  for  he  was  never  known  to  do  any- 
thing good.  Another  said  there  must  be  something 
uncanny  about  it,  for  she  had  experienced  the  most 
peculiar  sensations  when  shaking  hands  with  Mrs. 
Hayden. 

Mrs.  Dyke  had  waited  for  a  more  practical  time  to 
give  her  opinion,  and  now  she  concluded  the  Avhole 
matter  for  herself,  at  least,  by  saying  in  a  most  practi 
cal  way: 


68  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"It  is  the  devil's  work  from  first  to  last,  and  I  am 
not  surprised  that  that  woman,  Mrs.  Hayden,  lias  got 
into  his  clutches,  for  she  never  did  her  duty  to  the 
church,  and  such  people  can't  expect  he  will  always  let 
them  go  their  own  way.  Christian  Science  has  no  right 
to  its  name  or  its  pretentious.  It  is  only  the  magician's 
rod,  and  I,  for  one,  don't  propose  to  look  at  it,"  with 
which  profound  announcement  she  went  to  the  other 
room  to  oversee  her  charge  of  sewing  girls. 

"  Oh,  how  righteous  we  are !"  giggled  one  very 
young  lady,  with  a  mock  look  of  reverence. 

"Well,  now,  see  here  ladies!"  declared  Mrs.  Grant, 
another  "practical"  woman,  but  of  adifferent  type  from 
Mrs.  Dyke,  "  we  may  as  well  look  at  this  matter  in  a 
sensible  and  candid  light.  Here  are  the  facts :  Mrs. 
IJayden  is  a  lovely  and  reliable  woman.  She  has,  as 
we  all  know,  suffered  everything  from  her  headaches 
and  dyspepsia,  besides  the  limb  that  was  broken  at  the 
fire.  We  see  her  well,  and  ought  to  believe  wrhat  she 
says.  They  often  say,  'Truth  is  stranger  than  fiction.* 
An  example  has  come  to  our  door,  and  why  should  we 
refuse  to  believe,  when  the  proof  is  so  plain  ?  For  my 
part,  I  can  believe  though  I  do  not  understand,  and  I 
want  to  know  what  there  is  in  Christian  Science." 

Mrs.  Grant  had  spoken,  and  as  she  usually  did, 
turned  the  tide  of  thought  in  her  direction. 

"  Why,  yes,  we  all  want  to  know  if  there  is  anything 
in  it,  but  there  is  an  if— 

"  If!  There  it  is  again !  I've  no  patience  with 
people  who  always  tumble  over  an  if.  Toucan  bar 
the  very  gates  of  heaven  with  that  nipping  little  word. 


WHAT  THE  WORLD  SAID. 


69 


It  means  doubt,  and  doubt  is  the  destroyer  of  faith 
which  we  must  have  in  this  world,  if  we  live  at  all." 

Mrs.  Grant  unwittingly  preached  a  little  sermon, 
which  not  only  served  to  quell  the  confusion,  but  gave 
them  a  helpful  thought  to  carry  home.  Scattering 
good  seed  seemed  to  be  her  mission,  and  many  a  good 
word  dropped  into  fruitful  soil,  and  took  its  time  to 
bring  forth. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

"  Soul,  receive  into  thyself  the  warm  and  radiant  life  of  heaven,  to 
breathe  it  out  again  as  spiritual  fragrance  over  other  lives,  and 
so  change  this  wilderness-world  into  the  garden  of  the  Lord  ! 
This  is  the  lovely  moral  which  hides  within  the  roses  of  June, 
and  makes  more  than  half  their  sweetness." — Lucy  Larcom. 

Mrs.  Hayden  ?  The  old  expressions  of  joy 
seemed  utterly  inadequate  to  describe  her  feel- 
ings. It  seemed  that  she  was  veritably  dreaming  of 
heaven,  such  a  sense  of  largeness,  of  freedom,  had 
come  over  her,  so  much  wider  was  her  horizon,  so  much 
more  clearly  could  she  see  and  understand  the  hard 
questions  that  had  always  puzzled  her,  and  yet  she 
had,  as  it  were,  just  come  to  the  edge  of  the  beautiful 
flower-dotted,  dew-besprinkled  field  that  seemed  spread- 
ing out  before  her.  So  long  hopeless,  so  long  hungry 
as  she  had  been  after  this  taste,  she  only  hungered  the 
more.  Wonderingly  she  looked  at  herself  walking 
about  without  pain;  with  an  elastic  step  and  the  spring- 
ing freshness  of  health  ;  wonderingly  she  remembered 
the  dull,  nervous  throbbing  headaches,  contrasted  with 
the  refreshing  clearness,  the  joyous  comfort  and  peace 
of  mind  which  made  thinking  a  tonic,  and  labor  a 
luxury. 

What  a  glorious  strength  of  exhiliration  seemed 
flowing  in  to  her  with  every  breath ;  how  it  expanded 
and  thrilled  her  with  its  power!  If  this  was  life,  what 
joy  to  live,  to  know  and  feel  the  gladness  and  beauty 

10 


A  STRUGGLE  WITH  SELF.  71 

of  God's  beautiful  world,  and  it  must  not  be  for  her 
alone,  but  for  all  hungering,  thirsting  mankind.  She 
must  impart  it  to  those  who  had  been  suffering  and 
helpless  like  herself.  It  was  even  now  flowing  into 
her  own  family.  Although  Miss  Greening  had  given 
her  but  the  first  and  fundamental  principles  of  the 
science,  she  had  in  many  instances  already  demonstrated 
their  worth  and  power.  It  soon  grew  to  be  a  regular 
matter  of  course  to  treat  every  one  in  the  family  who 
seemed  in  need  of  a  remedy  for  anything. 

Mr.  Hayden  had  frequently  come  home  with  neu- 
ralgia in  his  face,  but  after  one  or  two  attacks  the  un- 
welcome intruder  vanished.  The  family  medicine  case, 
which  had  recently  been  replenished  for  the  winter, 
was  left  to  its  own  devices,  and  dust  gathered  on  the 
necks  and  shoulders  of  the  cough  remedies,  paregoric 
and  hive  syrup  bottles,  until  they  would  have  looked 
quite  pitiful  in  their  desertion,  if  anybody  had  seen 
them.  Jamie's  one  attack  of  croup  yielded  more  readily 
to  his  mother's  silent  treatments  than  it  ever  had  to 
hive  syrup,  and  it  was  with  a  deep  thankfulness,  not  un- 
mixed with  awe,  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hayden  felt  their 
little  one  at  last  free  from  his  old,  dreaded  enemy. 
Never  before  had  the  children  been  so  free  from  colds 
or  ailments  common  to  childhood,  as  this  winter.  Never 
before  had  there  been  such  a  seemingly  reckless  care- 
lessness in  wrapping  them  up,  keeping  them  out  of  the 
draughts,  or  letting  them  eat  just  what  was  on  the 
table. 

"  Why,  it  is  like  living  in  another  world  altogether," 
said  Mr.  Hayden,  enthusiastically  to  one  of  the  neigh- 


7*  TIL?  R[;};if  KtfOCK. 

bors.  "  The  children  are  so  much  happier,  quieter,  more 
peaceable.  I  tell  you,  it  is  like  getting  free  from  prison 
to  come  into  this  way  of  living,  and  my  wife  is  getting 
stronger  all  the  time.  Of  course  you  want  it,"  he  con- 
tinued. "Come  over  some  time,  and  we'll  tell  you 
more  about  it."  Saying  good  night  he  walked  away, 
leaving  his  friend  to  wonder  if  the  entire  family  had 
not  turned  lunatics. 

Enwrapped  in  the  seamless  robe  of  Truth,  the  sharp 
winds  of  worldly  criticism  seldom  reach  us,  because  we 
are  no  longer  susceptible  to  their  sharpness.  A  gentle 
mildness  beams  from  every  face,  for  beyond  the  veil 
of  outward  appearances  we  learn  to  discern  the  pure, 
perfect  holiness  of  God's  child  —  the  divinity  behind 
the  bars.  Not,  however,  till  we  know  how  to  put  on 
this  wondrous  robe  are  we  invulnerable. 

Although  Mrs.  Ilayden  had  learned  much  and  lived 
much  in  these  last  few  months,  there  came  a  time,  as 
the  summer  drew  near,  when  it  seemed  that  everything 
was  slipping  away  from  her.  Not  her  health,  except 
that  her  old  headache  occasionally  threatened  her,  but 
things  did  not  seem  as  clear  to  her.  Many  problems 
were  only  in  a  partial  state  of  solution,  and  a  vague  dis- 
satisfaction, a  helpless  discouragement  took  possession 
of  her  at  times,  very  hard  to  bear,  especially  when  con- 
trasted with  the  light  she  felt  had  so  long  guided  her. 
Of  late  even  her  treatments  seemed  almost  fruitless. 
Her  old-time  impatience  had  manifested  itself  on 
several  occasions,  and  one  warm  June  morning  she 
went  about  her  work  in  a  decidedly  old-fashioned 
mood. 


A  STRUGGLE  WITH  SELF.  73 

It  \vas  Monday,  and  in  addition  to  the  washing  to 
be  seen  to,  the  little  extra  help  to  be  rendered  the  girl, 
her  husband  had  sent  her  a  large  case  of  strawberries 
to  be  put  up,  manlike,  forgetting  that  this  day  at  least 
was  full.  She  was  hastening  to  get  them  ready  before 
the  dinner  hour,  and  the  "  picking  up  "  of  the  sitting- 
room,  so  essential  Monday  mornings,  had  been  left  till 
a  more  convenient  season. 

Mabel  had  gone  to  school,  while  Jamie  and  Fred 
were  playing  in  the  sand  in  the  back  yard. 

With  her  hands  in  the  berries,  and  her  thoughts 
busily  engaged,  she  was  suddenly  roused  from  her 
reverie  by  the  noisy  entrance  of  Fred,  who  just  came 
in  for  a  drink  of  water.  As  he  turned  to  go  out,  he 
threw  his  arms  around  his  mother's  neck  and  gave  her 
a  boy's  impetuous  hug,  and  a  kiss  that  ought  to  have 
rejoiced  anymother's  heart,  but  this  morning  it  annoyed 
her.  "Run  away,  now;  mamma  hasn't  time  this 
morning,"  and  she  pushed  him  impatiently  away.  Just 
then  the  door  bell  rang,  and  Fred  sprang  to  answer  it. 
In  another  moment  he  ushered  into  her  presence  a 
shabbily  dressed,  poor,  miserable  looking  woman,  who 
immediately  asked  for  a  drink  of  water.  "  I  can  get 
it,"  said  the  ready  Fred.  While  he  was  gone,  the 
woman  began  her  request: 

"  Plaze,  Ma'am,  would  you  be  wantin'  some  garters 
to-day?  They  are  warranted  by  the  very  man  as  made 
'em.  My  boy  is  layin'  sick,  and  his  father  is  dead,  and 
all  my  health  has  been  took  away  carin'  for  him,  and 
a  friend  of  mine,  she  has  been  in  this  business  a  long 
time,  and  says  it's  very  good  some  days,  and  she  let  me 


74  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

take  her  place  to-day,  so  if  you  could  take  a  pair  or 
two  to-day  it  would  be  very  thankful  I'd  be,  and  I'm 
sure  this  boy  would  need  a  pair ;  they  are  only  25 
cents,  and  will  just  fit ;  ain't  they  nice,  my  boy  ?"  She 
poured  her  story  out,  as  though  there  were  no  end  to 
it,  as  she  held  up  some  brilliant  red  and  blue  elastics 
that  quite  dazzled  Fred,  who  claimed  them  at  once. 

"  I  have  not  time  to  examine  and  choose  this  morn- 
ing, and  Fred,  you  do  not  need  them  now,"  said  Mrs. 
Hayden,  with  some  annoyance  in  her  tone. 

"  Now,  mamma,  you  didn't  see  my  old  ones,  they 
ain't  red  and  blue,  nor  stretchy,  an'  my  stockin's  come 
down  all  the  time.  See  how  wrinkly  they  are,"  and 
he  held  up  a  dusty  little  shoe  with  a  sadly  demoralized 
stocking  above  it,  rich  in  holes  as  well  as  wrinkles. 
The  stocking  had  been  torn  on  a  nail,  he  volubly 
explained.  In  his  excitement  Fred  raised  his  voice, 
thus  summoning  Jamie  to  the  scene  with  a  rush  that 
upset  the  dish  of  berries  just  picked  over. 

"/didn't  mean  to,  and  I  can  pick  them  up  again," 
and  he  swept  his  dirty  little  hands  into  the  soft  mushy 
pile,  gathering  berries,  dust,  stems  or  whatever  hap- 
pened to  be  in  the  way,  dashing  the  miscellaneous  mess 
into  the  clean  berries  that  had  escaped. 

"  Jamie,  you  careless  child !  how  can  you  be  so 
naughty  ?  Go  and  wash  your  hands  this  minute ! 
Fred,  leave  those  things  and  stay  out  with  Jamie,  I 
can  not  have  you  around  when  there  is  so  much  to  do ! " 
and  with  an  impatient  gesture  she  brushed  Jamie  aside 
and  began  sorting  the  berries  as  best  she  could. 
Fred  started  toward  her  with  the  elastics,  saying  : 


A  STRUGGLE  WITH  SELF.  75 

"  But,  mamma,  you  haven't  looked  yet;" 

"  Well,  you  see  my  hands  are  full,  and  I  can  tell 
you  just  as  well  without  looking." 

"  You  always  tell  me  to  do  as  I  am  told,"  pouted 
Fred  as  he  reluctantly  departed. 

Mrs.  Hayden  was  ashamed  and  yet  reckless  with 
discouragement,  and  scarcely  noticed  the  anxious  ped- 
lar, who  stood  waiting  for  some  decisive  word  from 
her. 

"  I  have  no  use  for  the  supporters  at  present,"  she 
said  at  last.  But  as  she  noticed  the  look  of  despair 
slowly  settling  on  the  woman's  face,  she  added,  "  but, 
if  you  are  in  such  distress,  I  will  let  you  leave  two 
pairs.  Take  the  50  cents  lying  there  on  the  shelf," 
pointing  to  the  place.  The  woman  was  very  grateful 
and  soon  went  away  with  a  brighter  face. 

For  a  long  time  after  she  was  gone,  her  picture 
remained  in  Mrs.  Ilayden's  remorseful  memory,  though 
she  put  it  away  as  much  as  possible  and  went  on  with 
her  work.  Jamie  and  Fred  had  quarreled  several 
times,  but  even  in  peace,  the  fires  of  war  were  likely  to 
burst  out  afresh,  for  it  was  always  so  when  she  felt  this 
way. 

As  Mrs.  Hayden  sat  in  her  own  room  that  evening^ 
reviewing  the  events  of  the  day,  which  seemed  the 
culmination  of  many  days,  it  seemed  that  the  Marion 
Hayden  who  had  been  so  happy  these  last  few  months, 
improving  in  health  and  strength  and  ability  to  live  a 
more  useful  life,  and  the  Marion  Hayden  who  had  so 
miserably  disgraced  herself  to-day,  were  far  apart  —  in 
fact  irretrievably  separated.  Where,  indeed,  had  gone 


76  THE  1UGIIT  KNOCK. 

her  power  of  self-control,  her  wisdom  and  tact  in  gov- 
erning the  children  ?  Why  had  she  so  harshly  told  Fred 
to  run  away  from  her  when  the  dear  child  was  only 
showing  his  affection  according  to  his  own  nature? 
Such  an  active,  impulsive  yet  loving  child  must  be 
wiselv  dealt  with,  and  she  had  often  realized  that  with 
Fred,  love  must  be  the  governing  power,  not  force. 
To  give  way  as  she  had  to-day  would  be  to  lose  her 
influence  over  him,  not  only  because  of  repulsing  the 
child  himself,  but  because  his  critical  eyes  noticed  every 
weakness  and  failure  in  her,  to  live  up  to  her  own  code 
of  morals  laid  down  for  him  to  follow. 

Her  accusing  conscience  asked  why  she  had  not 
questioned  and  tried  to  help  that  poor  woman  who, 
with  all  her  ignorance,  was  doing  the  best  she  could,  to 
solve  life's  problem. 

After  all,  what  had  she>  Marion  Hayden,  to  offer 
the  world  while  she  had  not  yet  conquered  herself  ? 

Oh,  the  bitterness  of  regret,  the  repining  for  \vasted 
moments  and  lost  opportunities !  but  here  she  was  in 
her  old  groove  of  thought.  Could  she  not  try  the  new 
way,  now  that  she  so  sorely  needed  it? 

She  would  try;  she  would  begin  to  look  on  the 
other  side  of  these  questions.  She  would  regain  her 
footing  in  spite  of  her  humiliating  downfall,  although 
there  might  still  be  a  lingering  sense  of  shame  over  her 
defeat. 

Later,  her  husband  came  home.  He  tossed  her  a 
paper  saying:  u Here  is  something  that  will  clear  you 
up.  Head  it  aloud.  I  just  glanced  over  it,  and  found 
it  very  good."  He  threw  himself  upon  the  sofa,  wait 


A  STRUGGLE  WITH  SELF.  77 

ing  for  her  to  begin.     Mechanically  she  took  up  the 
paper. 

"  ' The  Ubiquity  of  Good;'  is  this  the  article ?" 
"  Yes,  there  are  several  just  as  strong  as  that  one." 
"  Oh,  I  see  ;  yes — I  can  hardly  wait  to  read  aloud," 
she  exclaimed,    running    her  eyes    over    the    pages, 
instantly  imbibing  the  spirit  of  the  writer.     She  began 
with  an  awakening  interest  which  increased  till  she  was 
fairly  electrified  with  delight. 

Her  husband  looked  at  her  in  astonishment  although 
it  had  much  the  same  effect  on  him.  "  I  thought  you 
needed  something  like  that;"  he  said,  sitting  bolt  up- 
right and  looking  at  her.  "You  see,  Marion,  if  you 
could  only  be  as  enthusiastic  all  the  time  as  that 
woman  is,  you  could  do  the  works  that  she  does  and  be 
as  positive  too." 

"  I  know  it,  and  if  I  understood  as  well  as  she  does, 
it  would  be  different,  but  I  know  so  little  comparatively. 
Oh,  if  I  could  take  lessons  of  the  teacher  she  had— 
just  listen,  she  says  :  'I  have  just  had  the  privilege  of 
going  through  a  class  in  metaphysics  taught  by  one 
who  is  conceded  to  be  the  best  teacher  in  the  world' 
but,"  continued  Mrs.  Hayden,  "  I've  looked  all  over  the 
paper  and  can't  find  the  name  of  the  teacher ;  queer, 
isn't  it?  Mayn't  I  subscribe  for  this  paper,  John,  and 
I  will  ask  her  who  this  teacher  is,  when  I  send  the 
subscription  ? " 

"  Well,  yes  I  think  if  you  could  get  the  benefit 
from  every  number  you  have  from  that,  it  would  be 
money  well  invested,"  replied  Mr.  Hayden.  In  fact 
he  was  as  much  interested  in  mental  science  as  she,  and 


78 


THE  SIGHT  KNOCK. 


desired  her  to  "go  to  the  bottom  if  it,"  as  he  expressed 
it. 

That  night  she  retired  with  a  new  hope.  If  others 
could  learn  and  demonstrate  and  keep,  why  could  not 
she? 


CHAPTER   X. 

"  Oh,  thou  that  pinest  in  the  imprisonment  of  the  Actual,  and  criest 
bitterly  to  the  gods  for  a  kingdom  wherein  to  rule  and  create, 
know  this  of  a  truth,  the  thing  thou  seekest  is  already  with 
thee,  '  here  or  nowhere, '  couldst  thou  only  see  ! " — Carlyle. 

WHE  very  next  morning  the  letter  was  written 
and  the  money  sent  for  the  new  paper. 
*/  1       J. 

Mrs.  Reade  came  over  on  one  of  her  bird-like 
errands,  and  of  course,  must  hear  something  of  the 
great  help  that  had  come  so  unexpectedly. 

"  How  fortunate  it  came  just  now,  for  I  have  noticed 
several  weeks  you  have  been  losing  courage,  and  as  for 
myself,  I  don't  seem  to  know  what  to  do  in  any  case 
any  more, "  she  exclaimed,  after  hearing  a  few  extracts 
read  from  the  paper.  Now  you  will  find  out  who  the 
teacher  is  and — " 

"  I  shall  go  away  to  take  lessons  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, "  interrupted  Mrs.  Hayden.  "Yes,  I  must  go," 
she  continued,  "and  see  what  there  is  in  it.  I  have 
already  experienced  too  much  physically  and  spir- 
itually to  be  able  to  give  it  up. " 

"  Indeed,  you  have  certainly  had  as  much  of  a  proof 
as  one  could  wish.  If  I  could  only  do  as  much  as  you 
have,  I  should  feel  that  it  would  be  better  to  go  without 
many  other  things  rather  than  this.  " 

Mrs.  Reade  forgot  that  she  had  been  able  to  keep 
little  May  in  perfect  health ;  that  she  herself  had 
ceased  worrying  over  trifles  and  learned  to  make  the 


80  THE  EIGHT  KNOCK. 

best  of  everything.  To  her,  the  change  had  been  so 
gradual  that  she  hardly  knew  in  what  it  consisted.  In 
the  meetings  held  by  the  few  who  were  interested  she 
had,  unconsciously  almost,  given  many  glimpses  of  her 
private  efforts  and  success,  which  showed  how  faith- 
fully she  used  what  light  she  had. 

"  I  wonder  what  Mrs.  Grant  would  say  to  this,  "  she 
resumed,  after  looking  over  the  paper.  "  I  think  she 
ought  to  take  this  paper,  too.  Of  course,  I  expect  to 
read  yours,  "  with  an  arch  smile. 

"As  you  certainly  may,  I  will  let  you  have  this 
number  this  afternoon ;  I  can't  spare  it  yet.  You  can't 
imagine  the  abyss  I  fell  into  yesterday.  It  seemed 
that  I  had  not  only  lost  the  ability  to  hold  myself  up, 
but  the  self  respect  that  would  help  to  regain  my 
footing." 

"  'It  is  always  darkest  before  the  dawn',  they  say," 
quoted  Mrs.  Keade,  merrily,  "and  now  the  dawn  of  our 
delivery  is  at  hand,  we  shall  know  what  to  do  before 
the  twilight  comes  again.  But  I  came  after  your  jelly 
mold  and  must  not  stand,  nere  all  day  talking  about 
things  so  utterly  unlike — well,  good-bye !  I  can  hardly 
tear  myself  away  when  I  talk  with  you,"  and  she  ran 
out  with  a  gay  smile. 

Nearly  every  week  these  last  few  months  Mrs. 
Hayden,  Mrs.  Heade,  Mrs.  Grant  and  occasionally  one 
or  two  others  had  met  to  read  and  talk  on  the  all- 
absorbing  topic  and  gain  confidence  and  strength  by 
an  exchange  of  ideas  and  experiences;  but  they  knew 
not  how  to  draw  from  the  fountain  of  knowledge 
itself,  and  while  they  had  learned  much  and  gained 


HINTS  OF  HELP.  81 

much,  there  was  a  lack  which,  in  the  moment  of  trial, 
they  knew  not  how  to  supply. 

In  a  few  days  Mrs.  Hayden  received  the  coveted 
information  as  to  the  identity  of  the  wonderful  teacher, 
and  that  she  was  to  teach  several  classes  in  Mario w, 
only  two  hundred  miles  away,  which  quite  set  her  on . 
fire  with  impatience  to  go  at  once. 

But  circumstances  were  not  propitious.  There  were 
many  details  to  be  arranged,  much  to  be  considered. 
"What  should  be  done  with  the  children  ?  Could  she 
afford  it?  What  could  she  wear?  In  her  eagerness, 
she  could  have  overcome  every  obstacle  within  an 
hour,  but  her  better  judgment  told  her  to  be  patient 
a  little  longer,  a  decision  her  husband  quite  approved. 

In  the  meantime  she  tried  to  live  more  faithfully  up 
to  the  light  she  had  received,  but  the  first  flush  of  faith 
that  had  brought  forth  the  works,  seemed  gone,  and  she 
knew  not  how  to  bring  it  back.  Not  that  she  was  not 
just  as  earnest,  not  that  she  had  lost  a  whit  of  her 
faith  or  interest,  but  the  fire  of  impulse,  unclouded  by 
doubt,  had  disappeared.  She  thought  about  it  every 
leisure  moment,  but  concluded  at  last  to  let  go  such 
intense  effort  that  must  necessarily  be  blind,  and  live 
more  in  the  "holy  carelessness  of  the  eternal  Now,"  as 
George  MacDonald  so  beautifully  expressed  it  in  his 
book  she  was  reading. 

In  one  respect  she  fared  as  comparatively  few 
women  do,  who  hunger  after  spiritual  things ;  she  had 
her  husband's  full  sympathy  and  co-operation.  After- 
ward, when  she  had  seen  more  of  the  world  and 
knew  more  about  other  women's  lives,  she  realized  the 


8S 


THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 


value  of  it,  realized  that  without  it  she  would  have 
starved  before  she  could  have  feasted.  Oh,  the  sweet 
influence  of  a  sympathy  that  unites  and  harmonizes 
two  natures,  no  matter  how  opposite  in  character  and 
tendencies. 


CHAPTER  XL 

"  As  out  of  a  dream,  paths  impossible  to  sense  and  every  day  show 
plain  and  sudden  transit  into  distant  places,  so  from  your  shut 
souls  widens  out  an  entrance  way  into  God's  everlasting  joy!" 

— A.  D.  T.   Whitney. 

T  last  the  time  came.  She  was  to  go  for  the  last 
class  in  Marlow.  The  last  problem  as  to  what  to 
be  done  while  she  was  gone  had  been  solved.  The  chil- 
dren were  to  be  under  the  kind  care  of  Anna,  who  agreed 
to  do  her  best  in  looking  after  them. 

Mrs.  Hay  den's  wardrobe  had  received  the  necessary 
additions,  the  question  of  affording  was  not  asked 
again,  for  it  was  like  asking  if  she  could  afford  food  or 
clothing. 

It  meant  a  great  deal  to  her,  going  out  in  the  world 
to  get  this  wonderful  knowledge.  It  was  a  new  way  of 
seeking  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  it  must  surely 
teach  the  right  knock  that  would  open  the  door.  The 
little  light  that  had  already  come  to  her  proved  that, 
for  never  before  in  all  her  years  of  hungry  longing  had 
she  been  so  well  fed,  so  visibly  nourished.  Surely  her 
soul  could  not  be  mistaken  in  thus  dictating  her  quest. 

"  It  seems  too  good  to  be  true,  John,  that  there  is 
a  way  and  that  I  am  going  to  find  it,"  she  said  a  few 
days  before  she  went  away. 

"  I  am  very  glad,  dear  Marion,  for  your  sake,  that 
you  are  so  happy  in  this.  It  certainly  is  a  beautiful 
religion  as  far  as  we  can  understand  it." 

S3 


84  THE  EIGHT  KNOCK. 

"Yes,  the  very  thing  we  tried  so  hard  to  find  during 
all  those  years  of  darkness,  and  I  have  begun  to  act- 
ually feel  thankful  for  our  misfortunes,  because  it 
seems  they  have  led  us  into  this  knowledge.  "What 
would  we  have  known  or  cared  for  Miss  Greening,  had 
we  been  living  in  the  mansion  on  the  hill?  Or  what 
would  we  have  believed,  even  if  we  had  read  some- 
thing about  Christian  Science  ? " 

"  It  is  hard  to  tell,  but  if  you  are  content  I  am, 
wifie,  although  I  should  like  the  old  home  again." 

Like  many  others  he  was  able  to  appreciate  the 
material  good  things,  but  knew  not  that  the  material 
are  but  emblems  or  symbols  of  the  spiritual. 

"  We  shall  posses  something  far  better  than  all  the 
palaces  and  kingdoms  of  the  earth,  if  we  get  this 'pearl 
of  great  price.'  I  know  now  what  it  means  for  the  rich 
to  hardly  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  It  is  because 
they  are  so  satisfied  in  their  rich  possessions  they  feel 
they  have  everything  worth  having  and  need  nothing 
more.  That  very  indifference  and  apathy  keeps  them 
from  getting  spiritual  treasures." 

"How  true  that  is,  Marion,"  said  her  husband, 
stroking  his  mustache  thoughtfully. 

Just  then  the  door  bell  rang  and  the  girl  presently 
ushered  Grace  and  Kate  into  the  room. 

"  Why,  how  do  you  do  ?  I  am  more  than  glad  to 
see  you,"  said  Mrs.  Hayden,  warmly  grasping  a  hand 
in  each  of  hers. 

"  It  is  such  a  lovelv  evening  that  we  felt  we  should 

m 

like  a  walk,  and  as  we  generally  gravitate  toward  your 
house,  here  we  are,"  said  Kate,  laying  aside  her  hat. 


LEAVING  HOME.  85 

"  Do  you  know  I  am  going  to  Marlow  to  take  the 
Christian  Science  lessons  ? "  asked  Mrs.  Hayden,  with  a 
bright  smile,  as  they  were  cosily  seated  for  their  chat. 

"  Are  you,  really  ?  I  am  so  glad,  Mrs.  Hayden," 
said  Grace.  "  When  are  you  going  ? " 

"  Monday,  on  the  afternoon  train,  and  I  shall  be 
gone  three  weeks.  It  seems  a  long  time  now,  but  I 
hope  it  will  be  so  profitable  and  pleasant  that  it  will 
not  seem  long  while  it  is  passing." 

Kate  looked  very  grave.  Finally  she  said :  "  Well, 
Mrs.  Hayden,  I  am  sorry  you  are  going." 

"  Why  ? "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Hayden. 

"  Why  ? "  echoed  Grace,  and  the  host  looked  the 
interrogation  he  did  not  verbally  express. 

"  Because  I  am  seriously  afraid  it  is  wrong.  Just  a 
few  days  ago  I  had  a  talk  with  the  minister,  and  he  is 
very  decided  in  his  denunciation  of  it,  saying  it  is 
plainly  contrary  to  the  teachings  of  the  Bible,  and  I 
have  been  reading  an  article  this  afternoon  that  is  very 
convincing  in  its  arguments  against  it.  No,  Grace, 
you  needn't, shake  your  head.  I  have  been  cowardly 
and  lazy  long  enough  about  my  religion,  now  I  shall 
stand  up  for  what  I  think  is  right,  and  I  love  Mrs. 
Hayden  too  well  not  to  warn  her  of  what  I  believe  to 
be  a  most  dangerous  heresy." 

She  had  evidently  nerved  herself  to  say  this,  but 
her  voice  trembled  with  earnestness,  and  when  she 
finished  there  were  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"  I  thank  you,  dear  Kate,  for  your  sincere  regard, 
and  appreciate  your  motive  most  deeply,  but  of  course, 
that  can  not  change  my  mind  now,"  said  Mrs.  Hayden, 
much  touched. 


86  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  That,  of  course,  is  for  you  to  decide,  but  I  have 
suddenly  realized  my  religious  responsibility  as  never 
before,  and  have  been  earnestly  considering  this  matter. 
At  first  it  seemed  all  right  and  very  beautiful,  but  I 
believe  it  is  only  the  work  of  the  devil  to  get  people 
into  his  net  of  wickedness." 

Grace  was  too  astonished  for  speech  ;  now  she  under- 
stood what  Kate  had  meant  by  her  disinclination  to  talk 
on  the  subject  since  that  night  they  had  heard  Miss 
Greening.  Now  her  thoughtful  spells  were  explained, 
as  well  as  her  eager  desire  to  come  here  to-night. 

"  I  do  not  see  why  the  ministers  should  oppose  it  as 
they  do,"  said  Mr.  Hayden,  after  a  short  silence. 

"  If  you  look  back  over  the  history  you  will  find 
they  opposed  giving  freedom  to  the  slaves;  they 
opposed  the  temperance  movement  until  it  was  forced 
upon  them.  Many  of  them  now  oppose  woman's  suf- 
frage, though  their  audiences  are  often  composed 
almost  entirely  of  women.  It  seems  a  great  mystery 
why  they  should  oppose  any  of  these  good  and  neces- 
sary reforms,  but  I  think  it  is  because  they  are  only 
mortal  men,  and  have  many  mortal  faults  and  a  great 
deal  of  mortal  ignorance,"  said  Grace,  recovering  her 
tongue  at  last. 

"  It  seems  to  me  if  everybody  would  read  the  words 
of  Jesus  and  follow  his  example  they  would  never  be 
harsh,  or  critical,  or  uncharitable,  and  above  all,  they 
would  not  judge  anybody  or  anything  without  a  right- 
eous reason.  The  whole  burden  of  his  teaching  is 
expressed  in  the  sentence :  l  Little  children,  love  one 
another,' "  was  Mrs.  Hayden's  opinion.  Kate  looked 
at  her  gratefully. 


LEAVING  HOME.  87 

"  We  would  have  a  very  different  world  if  every  one 
followed  that  law,  and  we  have  never  heard  a  better 
one.  The  only  difficulty  is  to  know  how  to  follow  it," 
added  Mr.  Hay  den. 

"  AVe  must  know  the  whole  truth  if  we  would  be 
free  from  all  error,  and  we  can  only  get  truth  by  ear- 
nestly seeking  for  it.  is  my  firm  conviction,"  said  his 
wife. 

"  If  the  truth  makes  us  free,  certainly  we  ought  to 
search  for  it,  and  as  we  get  it  we  can  not  be  moved  from 
our  position,  for  by  the  nature  of  truth  it  is  forever  the 
same.  Imagine  anybody  telling  me  two  times  two  are 
five.  If  they  argued  and  talked  forever  they  could  not 
prove  it,  for  a  lie  can  never  be  proved  true." 

"  That's  capital  reasoning,  Grace,"  exclaimed  Mr. 
Hayden,  admiringly. 

"  Then  if  these  ministers  are  in  the  right,"  she  con- 
tinued, "  why  should  they  need  to  be  so  active  and 
emphatic  and  malevolent,  as  they  sometimes  are,  in 
their  denunciation  of  what  they  call  a  lie,  because  if  it 
is  a  lie,  won't  it  prove  itself?  And  if  their  position  is 
assured,  and  the  truth  must  necessarily  be  assuring, 
since  that  is  the  essence  and  nature  of  it,  if  their  posi- 
tion is  assured,  why  is  there  any  need  of  such  resist- 
ance ?  Jesus  plainly  taught  the  wow-resistance  of  evil, 
if  I  read  my  Bible  correctly  this  morning.  I  have  been 
studying  religion  somewhat,  too,  the  last  few  weeks," 
she  concluded,  glancing  at  Kate  rather  apologetically. 

"  It  would  be  well  if  we  studied  it  a  great  deal  more 
earnestly  than  we  have  before,"  said  Kate,  flushing 
warmly. 


88  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  "Well,  Kate,  isn't  one  of  our  best  ways  a  thorough 
investigation  of  it  ? " 

"  Yes,  of  course." 

"  Then  I  intend  to  look  into  Christian  Science  at  my 
earliest  opportunity,  and  see  what  there  is  in  it.  If 
there  is  nothing,  it  can  not  hurt  me.  If  there  is  some- 
thing, it  will  prove  itself,  and  I  shall  gladly  accept  the 
help  it  gives,"  and  Grace  rested  on  her  oars. 

"  I  have  a  suggestion  to  make,"  said  Mr.  Hay  den, 
"  and  that  is  that  Mrs.  Hayden  write  us  a  report  of 
each  day's  lecture,  and  you  can  come  down  and  we  will 
read  them  together,  or  I  can  hand  them  to  you  after  I 
have  finished  them." 

" Capital !"  exclaimed  Grace.  "Will  you  do  that, 
Mrs.  Hayden?" 

"  I  will  do  the  best  I  can,  and  be  delighted.  It  will 
help  me  as  well  as  you ;  but  they  will  be  nothing  but 
ordinary  letters,  for  I  would  have  neither  the  time  nor 
the  ability  to  write  lectures."  Then  she  added,  turning 
to  Kate,  "  You  will  read  them,  too,  won't  you,  dear?  for 
I  do  want  you  to  understand  that  this  is  the  true  Christ- 
religion,  and  as  Grace  says,  if  it  is  true  it  will  prove 
itself." 

"I  do  not  object  to  reading  your  letters;  indeed 
shall  be  glad  of  the  privilege,"  replied  Kate,  with  a 
deprecatory  gesture. 

"  You  must  be  sure  and  give  us  the  practical  part, 
so  we  can  learn  by  practice  as  well  as  theory,"  said 
Mr.  Hayden,  playfully. 

"  Yes,  and  I  will  promise  to  be  a  faithful  student,  if 
that  will  be  any  inducement,"  added  Grace;  "and  I 
know  Kathie  will,  too;  won't  you?" 


LEA  VING  HOME.  89 

"  Don't  say  any  more,  please.  You  all  know  I 
want  what  is  true  and  good,"  she  replied,  huskily. 

It  seemed  hard  to  say  the  good-byes,  even  to  go 
on  this  little  trip.  Mrs.  Hayden  looked  at  the  chil- 
dren and  home  through  blinding  tears  as  her  husband 
helped  her  into  the  carriage.  They  did  not  say  much 
as  they  drove  away  to  the  depot,  and  both  were  deeply 
moved.  There  seemed  such  a  momentous  meaning  in 
this  journey. 

"  You  must  promise  to  write  often,  John  ? " 

"Yes,  dear  Marion,  and  don't  worry  about  us." 

"I  shall  write  every  day,  John,  and  I  do  want  you 
to  grow  with  me.  Bead  the  lessons  please,  very 
carefully." 

"Yes;  good-bye." 

A  kiss,  and  he  was  off.  She  waved  her  hand  as 
the  train  started. 

Like  a  leaf  on  the  rippling  river,  gently  touching 
the  stones  or  mosses  in  passing,  but  hurrying  on  to  a 
broader  outlook  and  a  straighter  pathway,  we  float  in 
the  varying  current  of  life,  now  dallying  with  youth's 
pleasures  and  playfully  touching  the  problems  before 
us,  then  sent  adrift  by  a  deep  desire  to  know,  we  go 
out  on  a  voyage  of  discovery,  and  be  the  winds  rough 
or  gentle,  we  go  on  till  harbored  at  last. 

Nor  would  we  leave  thee,  gentle  Truth.  May  thy 
voice  guide  and  strengthen  and  cheer;  thy  sweet 
knowledge  be  the  lamp  to  our  path ;  thy  words  of  wis- 
dom our  armor  and  shield,  and  all  the  sweet  enchant- 
ment of  thy  presence  be  with  us  forevermore. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

"  Our  weary  years  of  wandering  o'er, 

We  greet  with  joy  this  radiant  shore; 

The  promised  land  of  liberty, 

The  dawn  of  freedom's  morn  we  see. 

O  promised  land,  we  enter  in, 

With  '  peace  on  earth,  good  will  to  men,' 

The  '  Golden  age '  now  comes  again, 

And  breaking  every  bond  and  chain; 

While  every  sect,  and  race  and  clime, 

Shall  equal  share  in  this  glad  time." 

— E.  B.  Harbert. 

HAYDEN  immediately  sent  a  few  words 
to  her  husband  informing  him  of  her  safe 
arrival,  but  said  nothing  concerning  her  plans  until 
later  in  the  week,  she  wrote : 

"  I  attended  a  reception  last  night  that  gave  me  a 
good  idea  of  the  great  interest  manifested  in  Christian 
Science  by  people  from  all  parts  of  the  country  as  well 
as  this  great  city.  Many  who  have  been  attending  a 
convention  of  scientists  the  past  week  were  there,  and 
I  met,  among  others,  Mrs.  Harmon.  She  is  lovely,  with 
such  a  sweet  pleasant  face  and  clear  mild  eyes.  I  do 
not  wonder  Miss  Greening  was  charmed  with  her.  We 
had  quite  a  chat  about  mental  healing.  She  gave  me 
an  interesting  account  of  how  she  came  into  the  work 
and  what  she  is  doing.  I  also  met  many  others.  One 
thing  noticeable  about  these  people  that  seems  pecu- 
liarly characteristic,  was  the  brignt,  happy  faces  so  full 
of  repose  and  trustfulness  contrasted  with  the  dull, 

'JO 


MRS.  PEARL'S  LECTURE.  91 

sluggish  care-worn  expression  of  people  in  general.  It 
really  rests  and  cheers  wonderfully  to  look  upon  coun- 
tenances that  carry  the  gospel  of  healing  with  them. 

"  After  a  pleasant  social  time,  Mrs.  Pearl,  in  whose 
honor  the  reception  was  given,  was  called  upon  for  an 
address,  the  substance  of  which  is  about  as  follows: 

"  It  is  an  unexpected  pleasure  as  well  as  privilege 
to  thus  meet  face  to  face  so  large  a  body  of  people  who 
are  working  or  desire  to  work  for  the  uplifting  and 
healing  of  humanity  by  this  new  yet  old  Christ- 
method. 

"While  there  are  so  many  thousands  of  the  world's 
best  workers  engaged  in  lifting  the  burdens  of  sick- 
ness, sorrow  and  sin,  there  are  none  who  accomplish 
more  marvelous  or  speedy  results  than  Christian  Scien- 
tists. Indeed  they  have  already  demonstrated  Chris- 
tian Science  to  be  a  most  powerful  means  of  reclaiming 
the  sinful  and  adjusting  social  relations  as  well  as  heal- 
ing the  sick. 

"  It  already  promises  a  better  method  of  dealing 
with  intemperance  than  that  of  any  other  class  of  re- 
formers. Why  ?  Not  because  earnest,  devoted  women 
do  not  give  time,  labor  and  hearts'  blood  to  the  temper- 
ance cause ;  not  because  wise,  honest  men  are  not  doing 
their  best  with  tongue  and  pen,  in  legislative  halls  and 
political  conventions,  but  because  neither  women  nor 
men  have  learned  the  true  principle  of  moral  reform. 

"  The  wise  mother  knows  that  the  best  way  to  keep 
her  child  from  mischief  is  not  to  talk  about  his  temp- 
tation but  cause  him  to  forget  it  by  thinking  of  other 
and  better  things.  She  encourages  him  to  do  better  by 


03  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

recognizing  his  higher  nature  and  showing  him  a  better 
way.  She  *  overcomes  the  evil  with  the  good.'  Thus 
his  moral  nature  gradually  gains  ascendency  over 
the  lower.  This,  and  this  only  is  the  true  reform;  but 
the  same  mother  fails  to  carry  out  the  same  principle 
with  larger  children.  She  must  learn  that  the  same 
management  which  corrects  and  improves  the  child 
will  correct  and  improve  the  sinner,  for  a  sinner  is 
only  a  child  of  larger  growth. 

"  Thus  far,  the  world  has  been  most  attracted  to  the 
healing  of  bodily  ills,  and  all  discomforts  of  the  flesh, 
but  the  material  demand  is  only  a  forerunner  or  symbol 
of  the  spiritual,  and  the  signs  of  the  times  are  even  now 
ready  for  the  keenest  readers.  People  are  beginning 
to  enquire  if  this  wonderful  power  for  healing  the  body 
can  not  be  used  for  the  healing  of  vicious  minds,  the 
curing  of  depraved  appetites. 

"  Since  religious  teachings  and  ethical  lectures  seem 
to  be  so  inadequate  to  meet  the  crying  need,  why  not 
try  this  new  science  which  claims  to  be  a  panacea  for 
all  ills,  ask  the  moral  philosophers. 

" '  The  world  moves  slowly,'  it  is  said,  but  the  world 
awakes  slowly,  it  should  be.  We  are  ministering  angels 
to  one  another,  in  our  process  of  awakening.  If  we 
have  not  enough  realization  of  truth  to  keep  ourselves 
awake,  some  one  comes  along  and  wakes  us  up,  by 
telling  us  more  and  we,  in  turn,  wake  some  slumbering 
neighbor. 

''Invisible  and  silent  are  the  workings  of  Truth, 
and  none  may  judge  what  best  teaches  the  law.  None 
may  know  what  has  given  this  or  that  insight  into  a 


MRS.  PEARL'S  LECTURE.  93 

broader  truth,  but  all  at  once  some  one  has  the  new 
light,  and  hastens  to  impart  the  knowledge. 

"All  effort  for  truth  points  to  one  end — Truth. 
All  reforms,  all  religions  point  to  a  higher  standard  of 
living,  a  clearer  realization  of  the  highest  and  best,  a 
broader  vision  of  truth,  a  breaking  away  from  the  false 
and  a  bringing  about  of  the  true. 

"  Mankind  is  conservative  and  must  needs  consider 
many  things  in  many  ways.  Old  opinions  are  not 
easily  relinquished  because  they  are  '  bone  of  our  bone 
and  flesh  of  our  flesh'  and  not  till  we  awake  to  spiritual 
as  well  as  intellectual  knowledge,  shall  we  realize  that 
we  are  free — free  to  listen,  learn  and  live. 

"As  in  the  history  of  every  reform,  we  find  opposi- 
tion and  persecution  facing  the  Christian  Scientists,  but 
as  time  goes  on,  even  the  unbelieving  and  conservative 
shall  be  brought  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth.  Many 
things  unaccepted  and  unestablished  to-day  shall  be 
proverbial  platitudes  of  to-morrow. 

"  We  who  have  a  clearer  vision  of  the  better  way, 
who  are  demonstrating  our  position  with  such  wondrous 
signs,  must  realize  more  and  more  the  importance  of 
the  first  and  only  law — the  law  of  love.  Judge  not. 
Be  a  unit  in  Truth. 

"We  come  together  as  many,  but  should  go  away  as 
one.  We  now  have  thousands  of  Christian  Scientists  all 
over  the  country  who  are  striving  as  never  before  to  live 
a  higher  life,  to  work  for  humanity  according  to  the 
Master's  teachings,  and  it  becomes  us,  as  true  disciples 
of  such  a  leader  to  so  live  that  we  shall  see  the  fulfill- 
ment of  that  blessed  promise:  '  Greater  works  than  I, 
shall  ye  do.' 


94  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  Let  us  recognize  the  use  and  beauty  of  unity.  Let 
us  be  as  one,  and  then,  like  the  brave  and  faithful 
Joshua,  we  shall  be  able  to  break  down  the  walls  of 
any  Jericho. 

"  Christian  Scientists,  truth  seekers,  friends !  Make 
use  of  the  golden  privileges  of  to-day,  use  every 
moment  for  the  furtherance  of  good,  make  every  silent 
thought  or  uttered  word  a  stream  of  influence  that 
shall  cause  the  desert  to  blossom  like  the  rose.  Send 
your  thoughts  out  to  the  grand  reformers,  the  women 
workers  and  the  men  workers,  the  tired  mothers  and 
the  anxious  fathers,  the  faithful  teachers  and  the  inno- 
cent children.  Sow  the  seed  diligently,  no  matter 
what  the  soil.  Never  mind  the  coldness,  the  indiffer- 
ence, the  slighting  disparagements,  for  bye-and-bye 
will  come  the  harvest.  Do  in  all  ways  as  you  would 
be  done  by. 

'  Thou  must  be  true  thyself  if  thou  the  truth  wouldst  teach, 
Thy  soul  must  overflow  with  truth,  the  true  results  to  reach.'" 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

"  One  Holy  Church  of  God  appears 

Through  every  age  and  race, 
Unwasted  by  the  lapse  of  years, 
Unchanged  by  changing  place. 

"From  oldest  time,  on  farthest  shores, 

Beneath  the  pine  or  palm, 
One  unseen  Presence  she  adores, 
With  silence  or  with  psalm. 

"  Her  priests  are  all  God's  faithful  sons, 

To  serve  the  world  raised  up, 
The  pure  in  heart  her  baptized  ones, 
Love,  her  communion  cup. 

"  The  Truth  is  her  prophetic  gift, 

The  soul  her  sacred  page; 
And  feet  on  mercy's  errand  swift 
Do  make  her  pilgrimage." 

— Longfellow. 

VHE  next  day  Mr.  Hayden,  with  great  interest, 
read  the  letter  containing  the  first  lecture,  which 
was  given  the  day  after  the  reception  reported  in  the 
last  chapter.  Pertaining  to  the  lesson  he  read : 

"  How  I  wished  you  were  with  me  yesterday,  and 
could  see  the  fifty  eager  faces  as  they  gathered  in  the 
class  room  and  waited  for  Mrs.  Pearl. 

"  Some  sorrowful  and  careworn,  some  filled  with  the 
marks  of  suffering  and  pain,  some  hopeless  and  despair- 
ing, some  careless  and  gay,  some  merely  curious,  but 
all  expectant  and  interested. 

"  It  matters  not  with  what  varying  motives  a  mass 

95 


96  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

of  people  meet  together,  there  is  a  common  chord  of 
sympathy,  which,  if  rightly  touched,  will  cause  the 
many  to  think  and  feel  as  one,  and  herein  lies  the  secret 
of  a  teacher's  power.  Mrs.  Pearl  has  this  faculty  of 
gathering  and  holding  the  thoughts  of  her  audience, 
and  I  could  not  help  noting  the  calm  and  satisfied 
expression  as  they  went  out  after  the  lecture. 

"The  first  lesson  is  about  The  True  Foundation, 
and  while  much  of  it  is  what  we  have  known  and 
believed,  it  is  stated  in  a  new  and  interesting  way. 
I  will  give  it,  as  nearly  as  possible,  in  her  owrn  words  : 

"It  is  necessary  to  have  a  common  premise  in  order 
to  sustain  a  harmonious  argument,  and  the  first  thing 
is  to  find  a  base  or  foundation  from  which  and  upon 
which  to  build.  Our  doctrine  is  to  be  established  by 
sound  reasoning  and  scientific  argument,  and  we  must 
go  back  to  the  beginning  and  learn  something  about 
the  First  Cause  of  all  things. 

"  In  ancient  times  students  devoted  themselves  to 
the  study  of  pure  reasoning,  and  they  found  that  by 
putting  themselves  in  harmony  with  First  Cause,  they 
attained  a  power,  by  certain  lines  of  thought  and 
through  the  speaking  of  words,  to  perform  wondrous 
works,  healing  the  sick,  having  dominion  over  all  crea- 
tion. 

"  They  discovered  the  different  results  of  speaking 
words  of  science,  which  are  words  of  truth,  and  words 
of  error  or  words  contrary  to  reason.  Eight,  true 
words  brought  forth  right  and  true  conditions  to  every- 
one around  them,  but  deviation  from  this  line  of  rea- 
son, would  bring  -discord  and  trouble  and  undesirable 


THE  TR  UE  FO  UNDA  TION.  97 

conditions.  These  wise  thinkers  declared  Mind  to  be 
the  First  Cause  of  all  creation,  and  announced  the 
study  of  Mind  and  the  words  and  ways  of  Mind,  to  be 
the  profoundest  theme  that  could  engage  the  attention 
of  man. 

"  We  find  this  philosophy  and  these  conclusions 
corroborated  by  the  Bible,  which  we  shall  consider  and 
prove  to  contain  revelations  of  changeless,  eternal 
truth. 

"  Truth  is  universal,  and  whatever  is  true  in  one 
part  of  the  universe  must  be  true  in  all  parts.  That 
which  has  been  understood  and  conceded  to  be  true  in 
all  ages  and  climes  is  what  we  call  universal  truth. 

"  Because  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis,  then,  agrees 
in  all  essential  particulars  with  the  accounts  of  other 
nations  and  among  other  peoples  we  consider  it  univer- 
sal truth. 

"  Because  it  is  so  beautiful,  logical  and  spiritual,  we 
revere  it ;  because  our  own  inner  consciousness  of 
truth  agrees  with  its  statements,  we  concede  it  to  be  as 
accurate  and  reasonable  an  account  of  Creation  as  we 
have,  and  we  are  therefore  willing  to  use  it  as  the 
basis  of  our  argument. 

"  We  read :  '  In  the  beginning  God  created,'  but  a 
more  literal  and  spiritual  rendering  would  make  the 
pivotal  statement,  '  God  creates.'  Now  we  know 
there  can  be  no  beginning  or  end  to  Omnipotence, 
hence  there  must  be  a  continuous  creating,  and  thus 
the  term  '  beginning'  could  only  refer  to  the  manifes- 
tation of  what  had  already  been  created.  How  was 
the  creation  manifested?  By  the  Word.  'God  said. 


98  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

let  there  be  light,  and  it  was  so,'  and  by  every  '  God 
said,'  was  manifested  the  thing  which  He  said  was  to  be. 

'*  The  word  God  is  an  abbreviation  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  Good,  the  two  words  in  that  language  being 
identical.  According  to  that  we  may  say  the  Good 
creates,  with  the  same  accuracy  that  we  say  God  creates. 
This  gives  us  a  broader  conception  of  God,  and  a  truer 
idea  of  the  Creator  as  Principle,  not  Person. 

"  So  many  have  erroneously  conceived  of  God  as  a 
personal  Being,  with  the  attributes  of  a  person  or  man, 
but  how  can  a  being  with  definite  form  be  omnipresent  ? 
I  have  often  wondered  how  God  looks,  but  now  I 
begin  to  realize  the  words  of  Jesus,  that  '  No  man  hath 
seen  God  at  any  time.' 

"  We  can  perceive  the  quality  of  God  in  Good,  with 
our  mind,  and  must  perceive  or  apprehend  God  through 
our  spiritual  discernment.  It  is  very  important  to  dis- 
tinguish between  Personality  and  Principle.  (Now 
John,  do  not  be  too  hasty  and  say  this  is  too  broad  a 
statement,  but  just  wait.  Eemember,  if  we  would 
learn  anything  we  must  first  become  as  a  little  child.) 

We  can  easily  conceive  of  Principle  as  being  every- 
where present.  The  principle  of  music  or  mathematics, 
for  instance,  can  be  demonstrated  any  where  and 
everywhere  at  the  same  moment.  Good  can  be  demon- 
strated everywhere,  hence  must  be  Principle,  nple. 

"  We  can  not  prove  God  through  the  senses,  for  He 
is  invisible,  being  spirit,  and  not  flesh  and  blood,  like 
this  man  of  the  five  senses.  Some  things  can  only  be 
known  by  intuition,  without  the  aid  of  the  senses,  and 
because  of  an  inherent  idea  in  our  consciousness.  For 


THE  TR  UE  FO  UNDA  TION.  99 

instance,  every  nation  worships  Deity  in  some  way. 
Since  we  cannot  know  God  through  the  senses,  by 
which  we  gain  knowledge  of  visible  things,  how  can 
we  know  there  is  a  God  ? 

"  As  Paul  says  :  '  Likewise  the  spirit  itself  bearetb 
witness  with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the  children  of 
God  ; '  and  what  better  answer  could  \ve  have  ? 

"  Spirit,  according  to  Webster,  is  :  '  Life  or  living 
substance  considered  independent  of  corporeal  existence 
— vital  essence,  force,  or  energy  as  distinct  from  mat- 
ter. '  God  is  the  vital  essence,  God  is  spirit,  and  God 
is  substance — '  the  real  or  existing  essence, '  '  the  divine 
essence  or  being. ' 

"  God,  therefore,  is  the  invisible  Principle  that  creates 
and  sustains  all  things — the  All-Power,  the  All-Intel- 
ligence, the  All-Mind,  the  All-Love,  the  All-Substance, 
the  All-Harmoay,  the  All-Life,  the  All-Good,  omni- 
present, omniscient,  omnipotent.  This  is  the  one  Creator, 
*  one  God  who  is  Father  of  all,  over  all,  and  in  all. ' 

"  Though  we  cannot  see  this  God  or  Good  Principle, 
we  can  apprehend  it  through  the  signs  or  manifesta- 
tions that  we  see.  As  we  look  about,  we  everywhere 
see  the  signs  of  life — not  Life  itself,  but  the  signs  of  it 
—  that  tell  of  the  presence  of  God  or  Good.  Now 
Life  is  Good  in  and  for  itself. 

"We  often  see  the  divinest  love  manifested  through 
every  deed  of  love,  every  heroic  act  of  higher  living, 
every  grand  sacrifice  of  self-comfort,  pleasure  ,  even 
life  itself.  Jesus  says :  '  Greater  love  can  no  man 
have  than  to  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friend.'  Such 
love  is  a  manifestation  of  the  one,  only  Love,  which  is 
God — Good  omnipresent. 


100  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  Every  glimpse  of  Truth  which  the  whole  world 
seeks  to  know  and  wherever  found,  is  a  realization  of 
the  omnipresent  Truth,  which  is  God. 

"  Intelligence,  in  its  highest  or  lowest  form,  is  but 
a  manifestation  of  God  as  Intelligence;  for  whence 
comes  our  intelligence  if  not  from  the  great  and  only 
Intelligence,  which  is  ever  flowing  to  us  and  through 
us,  which  is  ever  being  generated  in  us,  whenever  and 
wherever  we  are  willing  to  let  it  manifest  itself. 

"  Emerson  says  :  '  There  is  one  mind  common  to 
all  individual  men.  Every  man  is  an  inlet  to  the  same 
and  to  all  of  the  same.  Pie  that  is  once  admitted  to 
the  right  of  reason  is  made  a  free  man  of  the  whole 
estate.  *  *  *  Who  hath  access  to  this  universal 
mind  is  a  party  to  all  that  is  or  can  be  done,  for  this  is 
the  only  and  sovereign  agent. ' 

"  So  we  reason  about  health  and  strength  and 
justice,  or  any  of  the  divine  qualities,  which  we 
may  claim  as  a  part  of  our  inheritance,  because 
they  are  inherent  in  the  All,  in  which  '  we  live, 
are  moved,  and  have  our  being.' 

"Having  something  of  an  understanding  as  to  the 
nature  of  this  divine  Principle,  we  can,  to  some  extent, 
apprehend  that  the  essence  of  all  things  manifesting  it, 
and  manifested  by  it,  must  be  good  like  itself,  must  be 
of  the  same  quality  as  itself;  as  light  emanating  from 
light,  must  be  of  the  same  essence  and  quality  as  that 
from  which  it  emanates.  God,  like  light,  is  always  the 
same,  and  cannot  send  forth  or  create  anything 
opposite  Himself. 

"  The  nature  of  God  embraces  every  good  quality  of 


THE  TRUE  FOUNDATION  101 

masculine  and  feminine  character,  as  also  the  imper- 
sonal life  Principle.  It  is  therefore  proper  to  use  the 
masculine,  feminine  or  neuter  pronoun  when  referring 
to  Deity.  As  different  phases  of  the  one  Love,  we  see 
manifested,  the  strong,  all-protecting,  intelligent 
father-love,  the  tender,  restful,  patient  mother-love, 
the  innocent,  confiding,  trustful  child-love,  each 
complete  in  the  whole,  which  can  be  recognized  by  all 
or  one  of  these  attributes. 

"The  great  Mind  of  which  the  ancient  philosophers 
tell  us  and  which  Emerson  so  plainly  realized,  is  the 
the  Origin  and  Force  of  all  Creation,  the  Mind  for 
which  we  have  found  so  many  synonyms  and  so 
many  offices,  the  Great  Invisible  of  which  all  visible 
things  are  but  signs  or  symbols. 

"There  is  but  one  great  Mind,  one  great  Thinker. 
All  thoughts  of  this  Mind,  which  is  Infinite  Goodness, 
must  be  infinitely  good,  and  man  is  the  crown  and 
apex  of  the  wonderful  creation — is  made  in  the  image 
and  likeness  of  God. 

"If  we  concede  the  Creator,  God,  to  be  omnipresent, 
omniscient  and  omnipotent,  the  only  Power  there  is, 
perfect,  unchangeable  and  eternal,  we  must  necessarily 
concede  that  all  which  Be  creates  is  good,  and  must 
remain  so  because  everything  connected  with,  emanat- 
ing from,  or  similar  to  Him  is,  and  must  be  like  Him 
in  quality  and  essence. 

"  The  true  man  is  spiritual,  perfect  like  his  Father, 
and  can  only  be  subject  to  perfect  conditions.  If  we 
continually  and  persistently  recognize  the  true  creation 
which  is  invisible,  we  make  manifest  the  perfect  condi- 


102  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

tions  in  the  sign  of  the  true,  which  is  the  visible.  In 
doing  this,  we  are,  in  the  most  essential  sense,  acknowl- 
edging God,  worshiping  the  one  Deity. 

"Because  we  have  so  long  recognized  the  other  pow- 
ers we  have  become  idolaters,  and  must  now  turn  back 
to  the  only  true  God.  '  If  thou  return  to  the  almighty, 
thou  shalt  be  built  up,  thou  shalt  put  away  iniquity  far 
from  thy  tabernacles.  .  .  For  thou  shalt  have  thy 
delight  in  the  almighty  and  shalt  lift  up  thy  face  unto 
God.' 

"We  have  become  filled  with  false  beliefs, 
because  we  have  judged  according  to  appearances,  and 
hence  drawn  false  conclusions.  How  can  we  know 
spiritual  truth  without  spiritual  knowledge  ?  How  can 
we  have  spiritual  knowledge  without  spiritual  percep- 
tion ;  how  can  we  have  spiritual  perception  without 
recognizing  Spirit,  Substance,  God,  as  the  supreme 
Essence  back  of  all  visible  forms  ? 

"This  is  the  fundamental  principle  of  healing — this 
recognition  of  spiritual  being  and  spiritual  law.  Grasp- 
ing only  the  surface  meaning  of  this  grand  truth,  we 
recognize  and  admire  the  mental  power  which  produces 
cures,  hence  it  is  frequently  called  mind-cure,  because, 
through  the  agency  of  mind,  the  cure  is  wrought,  as 
we  say,  water-cure  or  sun-cure  for  the  same  reason  ;  but 
as  we  proceed  in  the  study,  we  will  go  beyond  an  intel- 
lectual to  a  spiritual  perception  of  what  is  meant  by 
met-a-physical,  which  pertains  not  only  to  a  science  of 
mental  phenomena,  but  the  science  of  real  being,  and 
has  to  do  with  the  spiritual  or  real  self  of  man. 

"  Now  John,  if  you  don't  understand,  just  wait  and 


THE  TRUE  FOUNDATION. 


103 


study,  for  really  we  must  study  these  statements,  with- 
out prejudice,  too,  for  that  is  the  only  way,  and  of 
course  we  cannot  expect  to  understand  at  once.  The 
great  essential  is  to  keep  uppermost  the  desire  for  truth, 
but  I  need  not  tell  you  that,  for  what  an  earnest  truth- 
seeker  you  are,  nobody  knows  better  than  myself. 

"  This  is  the  best  I  can  do  toward  giving  the 
first  lesson,  but  you  must  think  well  upon  it  and  get  a 
good  foundation  laid  for  what  is  to  come  next. 
This  science  is  to  be  developed  rather  than  learned. 

"  I  want  to  put  in  every  moment  I  can  get  for 
study,  so  must  close.  Hand  this  this  to  Kate  and 
Grace.  I  do  hope  they  will  be  interested. 

"  Tell  me  all  about  your  progress,  and  the  precious 
little  ones — how  are  they  ? 

"  Your  loving  MABION." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

"How  shall  I  know  if  I  do  choose  the  right?" — Shakespeare. 

"  Truth  is  one, 

And  in  all  lands  beneath  the  sun, 
Whoso  hath  eyes  to  see  may  see 
The  tokens  of  its  unity." 

—  Whittier. 

WHAT  is  a  very  clear  statement,"  said  Mr.  Hayden, 
as  he  handed  the  letterto  Grace  when  she  called 
the  next  evening. 

"Do  you  think  we  can  get  much  of  an  idea 
from  it  ? " 

"  O  yes,  indeed  we  can ;  but  you  take  it  home  and 
read  it  with  Kate." 

Grace  went  straight  home  with  her  prize  for  she 
was  more  interested  than  she  cared  to  admit  just  yet, 
and  Kate  was  still  reluctant  and  fearful  about  the  possi- 
ble wrong. 

Grace  had  awakened  in  the  night,  just  after  Mrs. 
Hayden  had  gone  and  found  her  crying.  "  What  is  the 
matter,  Katie  ? "  she  asked. 

"  Oh,  Grace,  I  am  so  worried  about  this  Science, 
and  I  am  afraid  I  did  wrong  to  even  promise 
Mrs.  Hayden  I  would  read  her  letters,"  sobbed  the 
poor  child. 

"  "Why,  Katie  dear,  we  could  never  know  anything 
if  we  did  not  look  into  it  and  use  the  reason  God  has 
given  us.  Surely  you  are  not  afraid  to  examine  into 

wu 


QUESTIONINGS.  105 

what  claims  to  be  such  wonderful  truth.  You  do  not 
necessarily  accept  by  examining  it,  and  I  am  glad  we 
can  have  the  privilege  of  reading  what  Mrs.  Haydeu 
says,  for  she  has  such  a  fair,  unprejudiced  mind,  and  will 
give  us  the  matter  just  as  nearly  right  as  she  can ; 
then  we  can  judge  for  ourselves." 

She  reached  over  and  drew  Kate  into  her  arms,  but 
the  sobbing  did  not  cease  at  once.  Grace  was  natur- 
ally kind-hearted,  and  respected  people's  feelings. 
To-night  she  was  very  gentle,  as  Kate  gratefully 
realized. 

"  Come  Kate,  put  away  your  fears.  There's  noth- 
ing can  change  the  truth  you  have,  and  if  it  isn't  truth, 
the  sooner  you  change  your  mind  the  better.  What 
makes  you  feel  so,  all  at  once?  Has  some  one  said 
anything  ? " 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Narrow  gave  me  such  a  talking  to  when 
I  asked  him  if  it  was  wrong ;  for  someway,  I  got  so 
troubled  that  I  did  not  know  what  else  to  do." 

"  Well,  what  of  it ;  you  don't  see  anything  wrong 
in  it  yourself,  do  you? " 

"  N — o,  not  exactly." 

"What  are  you  afraid  of,  then?" 

"  I — I  don't  know,"  with  a  hysterical  sob.  She 
was  ashamed  to  admit  that  she  was  half  afraid  of  eter- 
nal punishment,  something  she  had  been  in  vague 
terror  of  all  her  life.  It  had  been  impressed  upon  her 
so  vividly,  and  now  she  was  suffering  from  a  keenly 
reproachful  conscience,  because  for  so  long  a  time  she 
had  been  indifferent  and  neglectful  of  her  religious 
duties. 


106  THE  1UOUT  KNOCK. 

Grace  finally  persuaded  her  it  would  be  all  right  to 
give  the  matter  a  fair  investigation.  Then  she  went  to 
sleep,  comforted,  for  half  her  misery  had  been  caused 
by  her  indecision  and  wavering. 

"When  they  read  the  letter  together,  Grace  was 
delighted  and  Kate  not  much  less  so,  though  she 
demurred  a  little  about  some  things. 

"  What  beautiful  ideas  of  God !  It  seems  plainer 
than  anything  I  ever  heard.  To  say  God  is  Principle, 
not  person,  makes  it  easier  to  apprehend  His  omni- 
presence," exclaimed  Grace,  laying  down  the  letter. 

"  Y-e-s,  in  one  sense,"  slowly  assented  Kate,  "  but 
in  the  Bible  He  is  spoken  of  as  Person,  or  at  least  as 
having  personal  attributes,  and  you  know  they  fre- 
quently refer  to  what  He  says  and  how  He  talked 
with  Abraham." 

"  O,  I  think  that  is  figurative,  if  it  is  true  at  all. 
How  can  a  being  with  a  definite  or  outlined  form  be 
everywhere  at  the  same  time  ?  " 

"  But  surely,  you  believe  His  thoughts  can  be 
everywhere,  and  that  is  what  is  meant  by  this  omni- 
presence," said  Kate,  earnestly. 

"  Then  do  you  think  of  Him  as  sitting  on  a  great 
golden  throne,  listening  to  the  petitions  of  men  below, 
and  able  to  hear  and  to  grant  or  refuse  at  the  same 
moment  every  prayer  that  is  sent  to  Him  by  the  mil- 
lions of  His  children  on  earth?" 

" '  God's  ways  are  not  our  ways,  and  with  Him  all 
things  are  possible.' " 

"  But  is  it  not  much  easier  to  say  this  is  Principle, 
which  is  everywhere  waiting  for  our  recognition  of  its 


QUESTIONINGS.  107 

presence  to  become  manifested  to  us?"  pursued 
Grace. 

"  Yes,  I  don't  know  but  it  is." 

"  Now  Kate,  I  am  truly  in  earnest  and  mean  to 
study  this  very  earnestly.  I  know  very  little  about 
the  Bible,  because  it  has  been  a  sealed  book  to  me 
every  time  I  ever  tried  to  read  it,  but  during  these 
three  weeks  that  Mrs.  Hayden  is  gone,  I  am  going  to 
put  away  my  preconceived  opinions  as  far  as  possible 
and  see  if  I  can  learn  something,  and  now  let  us  get 
the  Bible  and  see  what  it  says  on  these  questions.  You 
have  a  concordance.  Let  us  look  up  the  word  omni- 
presence and  read  some  of  the  passages  in  which  it 
occurs." 

Kate  was  well  pleased,  not  only  to  make  the  Bible 
the  foundation  of  this  study,  but  to  find  Grace  so 
changed,  and  so  ready  to  look  into  sacred  things. 
"  Perhaps  she  will  be  converted,"  she  thought,  and 
from  that  moment  she,  too,  resolved  to  look  fairly  into 
Christian  Science.  She  brought  the  concordance  and 
found  there  was  no  reference  to  omnipresence. 

"We'll  look  for  present  or  presence,"  suggested 
Grace.  She  glanced  rapidly  down  the  columns  and 
found  a  reference  to  Ps.  cxxxix.  and  turned  to  that. 

"  Yes,  in  the  seventh  verse  it  says: '  Whither  shall  I  go 
from  thy  spirit  or  whither  shall  I  flee  from  thy  pres- 
ence?' and  here  is  a  marginal  reference  to  Jer.  xxiii: 
24.  '  Can  any  hide  himself  in  secret  places  that  I  shall 
not  see  him  ?  saith  the  Lord.  Do  not  I  fill  heaven  and 
earth  ? '  Now  it  seems  to  me  that  carries  the  idea  of  a 
personal  Being,"  said  Kate. 


108  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  "Well,  let  us  look  up  the  references  to  God,"  sug- 
gested Grace  again.  "  Here's  one  in  Deut.  xxxii :  4. 
'He  is  the  rock,  his  work  is  perfect;  for  all  his  ways 
are  judgment;  a  God  of  truth  and  without  iniquity,  just 
and  right  is  he.'  Yes,  there  He  is  compared  to  a  rock. 
Of  course  that  is  symbolical,  but  find  another.  Isn't 
there  one  that  tells  of  Him  as  spirit?  " 

"  Yes,  '  God  is  spirit,  and  they  that  worship  him 
must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth,'  that  is  in 
John  iv:  24,  and  in  the  first  chapter  of  John  it  reads: 
'  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word  and  the  Word  was 
with  God  and  the  Word  was  God.' " 

"  Ah  !  there  we  have  it  very  plain;  word  is  not  flesh 
and  blood  or  person.  Doesn't  it  say  in  the  letter  that 
God  is  Intelligence,  which  is  only  another  way  to 
express  the  same  thing  ? " 

"  Yes,  and  I  remember  when  Jesus  prayed  for  His 
disciples,  He  said  :  'Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth, 
thy  word  is  truth ;'  and  some  place  in  the  Bible  it 
speaks  of  God  as  truth,"  said  Kate,  quite  willing  to  give 
all  the  corroborative  testimony  she  could. 

"  Truth  can  only  be  considered  as  principle,  so  we 
have  that  statement  confirmed  by  the  Bible,  and  that 
would  agree  with  what  Pythagoras  wrote,"  said  Grace, 
quoting :  " '  There  is  one  Universal  Soul  diffused  through 
all  things,  eternal,  invisible,  unchangeable;  in  essence 
like  truth,  in  substance  resembling  light ;  ...  to 
be  comprehended  only  by  the  mind.'  Now  it  is  com- 
paratively easy  to  see  manifestations  of  the  Good.  By 
the  way,  I  think  it  a  volume  of  explanation  in  itself  to 
say  Good  instead  of  God,  don't  you  ? " 


.  109 

"  Well,  yes,  it  does  seem  peculiarly  expressive,  but 
the  old  way  sounds  a  little  better  yet." 

"  Of  course,"  pursued  Grace,  "it  doesn't  matter  so 
much  what  we  call  this  omnipresent  power,  as  whether 
we  understand  it.  All  humanity  worship  the  same 
Deity  in  the  sense  of  recognizing  an  omnipotent  Power. 
I  once  read  something  comparing  the  ideas  of  God 
among  the  different  peoples,  and  it  was  really  wonder- 
ful how  similar  they  were,  excepting,  of  course,  each 
nation  had  a  different  name  for  Deity.  I  believe  I 
have  that  book  now  somewhere ;  "  and  Grace  went  to 
look  for  it,  but  presently  returned  without  finding  it. 
"  Well,  it  made  such  a  vivid  impression  on  me  that  I 
remember  a  few  of  the  principal  statements.  One  was 
that  the  Hindoos  teach  of  an  omnipresent,  omniscient 
and  omnipotent  Being  called  Brehm  who  is  the  creator 
of  all  things,  from  whom  all  things  emanate  and  by 
whom  all  things  are  sustained.  The  Persians,  Egyp- 
tians, Greeks  held  similar  ideas.  The  Persians  called 
God,  Ormuzd,  the  Greeks,  Orpheus,  the  Egyptians, 
Osiris." 

"I  did  not  know  the  Pagans  held  such  ideas  of 
Deity.  I  always  thought  they  believed  in  many  gods," 
said  Kate. 

"They  did,  but  as  Edward  Everett  Hale,  says: 
'The  innumerable  Gods  of  the  Pantheon  are  but  mani- 
festations of  the  One  Being,'  that  is,  they  had  special 
names  for  the  different  manifestations  of  God,  as  He 
appeared  to  them  in  the  sun,  the  air,  the  earth,  and 
also  the  different  qualities  of  human  character.  They 
all  alike  believed  in  a  Supreme  Being,  and  made 


110  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

statements  almost  synonymous  with  many  in  the  Bible. 
That  is  what  may  be  called  universal  truth,  and  if 
Christian  Science  is  what  is  consistent  with  funda 
mental  truth,  it  will  be  just  what  I  have  been  wishing 
to  find."  Grace  leaned  back  meditatively,  adding, 
"Mythology  used  to  have  a  peculiar  charm  for  me, 
and  many  of  those  old  stories  are  coming  back  with  a 
new  significance." 

" '  There  is  but  one  foundation,  other,  can  no  man 
lay,' "  quoted  Kate,  earnestly. 

"Yes,  my  dear,"  and  Grace  rose  and  paced  back 
and  forth  in  deep  abstraction.  "  There  is  but  one 
Truth  and  we  can  not  establish  a  falsity.  But  I  want 
to  carry  my  reflections  a  little  further  concerning  this 
universal  worship.  To  my  mind,  the  power  inherent 
in  everything  and  recognized  in  some  way  by  every 
individual  is  the  supreme,  perfect  Power  in  different 
phases  of  manifestation.  The  man  who  trusts  an 
unseen  power  to  bring  the  seed  lie  plants  to  full  frui- 
tion, is  believing  in  the  true  God,  though  he  may  not 
know  it. 

"The  whole  world  lives  on  faith  from  one  year  to 
another,  for  there  is  not. enough  food  produced  in  one 
season  to  last  more  than  one  year,  and  if  men  did  not 
know  every  succeeding  season  would  provide,  they 
would  be  desperate  indeed.  What  is  this  but  believing 
in  a  supreme  Power?  Even  materialists  admit  that 
the  great  First  Cause  is  beyond  matter.  Herbert 
Spencer  speaks  of  it  as  the  *  Universal  Reality,  without 
beginning  and  without  end.'" 

"All  people  reverence  and  admire  the  sentiments  of 


QUESTIONINGS. 


Ill 


love  and  justice  and  truth  and  mercy.  Let  us  agree  they 
come  from  the  same  cause  and  are  everywhere  present, 
and  we  shall  come  nearer  to  worshiping  God  in 
spirit  and  in  truth,  than  we  ever  have  before.  Now 
let's  have  your  opinion,  Queen  Katherine,"  concluded 
Grace,  looking  at  Kate  with  a  playful  smile  as  she 
finished  her  long  dissertation. 

"  There  is  nothing  I  can  add  to  that,  and  it  seems  a 
very  good  conclusion  to  our  first  lesson.  I  did  not 
know  you  had  thought  so  much  about  religious  things, 
Grace." 

"  I  always  had  a  fondness  for  looking  on  the  for- 
bidden side  of  things,  and  I  am  afraid  I  was  more 
curious  than  religious,  but  I  am  rather  glad  if  there  is 
an  explanation  to  these  things  that  have  always  puz- 
zled me." 


CHAPTER  XV. 

"A  lie  cannot  exist — it  only  appears.  Truth  is  consciousness  con- 
sistent with  itself  in  every  relation  ;  error  is  consciousness  incon- 
sistent with  itself  in  some  relation." — Judge  II.  P.  Biddle. 

"  And  what  an  end  lies  before  us  !  To  have  a  consciousness  of  our 
own  ideal  being  flashed  through  us  from  the  thought  of  God! 
Surely,  for  this  may  well  give  way  all  our  paltry  self-conscious- 
ness, our  self-admiration  and  self-worships!  Surely,  to  know 
what  He  thinks  about  us  will  pale  out  of  our  souls  all  our 
thoughts  about  ourselves !  " — George  MacDonald. 

"  MARLOW,  September — . 
JOHN" :  I  hope  you  are  as  anxiously  await- 

ing  this  letter  as  I  awaited  the  second  lecture. 

It  was  splendid,  so  comprehensive,  and  above  all,  so 
practical.  It  throws  light  on  many  puzzling  points, 
and  I  am  delighted  so  far  with  what  seems  so  plain  and 
true. 

"  Some  of  the  members  of  the  class  seemed  quite 
shocked  at  some  of  the  statements,  but  it  is  not  strange 
that  they  should  seem  startling  to  one  who  has  never 
thought  on  the  subject,  for  indeed,  I  should  think  it 
•would  take  a  good  while  to  get  used  to  reasoning  that 
is  directly  opposite  the  world's  first  conclusions ;  still 
we  are  looking  for  results  that  are  quite  contrary  to 
what  the  world  looks  for,  so  we  can  afford  to  collide 
with  its  opinions.  When  Mrs.  Pearl  came  into  the 
class  room,  all  turned  to  look  at  her  and  every  ear  was 
ready  to  listen. 

"  In  yesterday's  lesson  we  made  a  statement  of  God 
as  the  only  Mind  of  the  universe,  the  Great  Reality 

lit 


WHA T  18  NOT  TR  HE.  113 

beside  whom  there  is  absolutely  nothing  in  existence ; 
but  as  we  look  around  at  the  scenes  of  suffering  and 
poverty  and  ignorance,  we  are  mightily  tempted  to 
disbelieve  such  a  statement. 

"  '  Talk  of  omnipotent  Light  in  the  midst  of  midnight 
darkness ! '  you  exclaim.  Ah,  but  you  are  to  remem- 
ber we  are  talking  of  the  real  creation ;  the  invisible 
and  unapparent  instead  of  the  visible  and  apparent ;  the 
changeless  and  eternal  instead  of  the  evanescent  and 
decaying. 

"  If  God  is  the  only  Reality,  His  creation  is  the  only 
real  creation.  The  word  real  is  applied  to  that  which 
actually  exists,  which  forever  is,  not  to  that  which 
seems  or  appears ;  therefore,  in  speaking  of  the  real  we 
mean  the  changeless  and  invisible. 

"  If  God  is  the  only  Mind,  His  are  the  only  real 
thoughts,  and  thoughts  are  invisible  to  the  eye,  but 
discernible  to  the  mind  or  consciousness. 

"  If  God  is  everywhere,  there  is  no  possible  place  or 
space  in  the  universe  where  God  is  not ;  hence  He  is 
all  there  is.  One  of  our  modern  prophets  wisely  wrote : 
'  Has  not  a  deeper  meditation  taught  certain  of  every 
clime  and  age  that  the  "Where  and  the  When  so  mys- 
teriously inseparable  from  all  our  thoughts,  are  but 
superficial  adhesions  to  thought ;  that  the  Seer  may 
discern  them  where  they  mount  up  out  of  the  celestial 
Everywhere  and  Forever.  Have  not  all  nations  con- 
ceived their  God  as  omnipresent  and  eternal,  as  existing 
in  a  universal  Here,  an  everlasting  Now  ? 

"  '  Think  well,  thou  too  wilt  find  that  space  is  but  a 
mode  of  our  human  sense,  so  likewise  Time.  There  is 


114  THE  EIGHT  KNOCK. 

no  space  and  no  time.  We  are — we  know  not  what ; 
light  sparkles  floating  in  the  ether  of  Deity.  So  this  so 
solid  seeming  world,  were,  after  all,  but  an  air-image — 
our  vie  the  only  reality.' 

"  This  me  is  the  spiritual  self,  the  individual  idea  of 
God,  His  image  and  likeness. 

"  What  then,  about  this  body,  which  is  not  spiritual, 
you  ask  ?  What  about  the  material  universe  ? 

"  Wait  a  moment.  Think  of  the  premise.  As  God 
the  invisible  is  the  changeless,  what  is  the  variable, 
fleeting,  visible  unreality  ?  The  real  is  everlasting,  the 
unreal  is  transitory.  The  real  is  called  Spirit,  the 
unreal  matter. 

"What  is  Spirit?  The  underlying  omnipresent 
substance  that  we  call  God. 

"What  is  matter?  The  counterfeit,  shadow, 
emblem,  showing  that  Spirit  exists  or  is. 

"We  read  in  a  very  ancient  Hindoo  Scripture: 
'Those  who  have  understanding,  whose  thought  is  pure, 
see  the  entire  universe  as  the  picture  of  Thy  wisdom ; ' 
and  the  thoughtful  Carlyle  said:  'All  visible  things  are 
emblems.  .  .  .  Matter  represents  some  idea  and 
bodies  it  forth.' 

"These  thoughts  are  in  perfect  accord  with  the 
principles  laid  down  in  our  premise,  hence  we  find  that 
as  we  believe  matter,  believe  the  body  to  be  the  real 
creation,  we  are  believing  a  falsity.  This  is  the  idol  we 
are  worshiping  instead  of  the  true  and  only  God. 
The  grand  visible  universe  in  which  we  see  so  many 
beauties,  so  many  charms,  is  but  the  mighty  object 
lesson  before  us  by  which  we  may  learn  of  the  infinite, 


WHAT  18  NOT  TltUti.  115 

invisible  All.     As  Theodore   Parker  said :   '  The   uni- 
verse itself  is  a  great  autograph  of  the  Almighty.' 

"  The  characters  used  in  mathematics  do  not  consti- 
tute the  science  but  merely  represent  to  the  senses  the 
invisible  ideas  of  the  principle  of  mathematics.  The 
visible  does  not  constitute  the  invisible,  but  may  carry 
its  messages  as  we  learn  to  read  its  poetic  and  mystic 
pages.  The  visible  speaks  to  the  mortal  nature,  but 
the  invisible  beyond  and  above,  speaks  to  the  immor- 
tal nature. 

"  Since  we  find  matter  to  be  so  totally  opposite  the 
real,  there  is  no  other  name  for  it  than  as  the  unreal, 
and  the  unreal  being  a  counterfeit  of  the  real,  must  be 
a  lie,  as  the  nature  of  a  lie  is  to  make  false  claims,  pre- 
tending they  are  true. 

"Matter  is  a  counterfeit  because  it  is  not  genuine  or 
of  God,  because  it  is  changeable  and  fleeting,  because 
being  limited  to  a  visible  form,  it  must  have  finite  limi- 
tations and  can  merely  give  finite  conceptions. 

"  Taking  it  as  a  sign  of  something  infinite,  we  learn 
of  the  infinite.  All  the  students,  teachers,  learned 
men  and  women  of  the  world  have  added  to  the  world's 
spiritual  ideas  revealed  by  their  study  of  the  finite  as 
well  as  their  intuitive  knowledge  of  the  infinite. 
Charles  Kingsley  gives  us  a  hint  of  how  to  learn:  'Do 
not  study  matter  for  its  own  sake  but  as  the  counte- 
nance of  God.  Try  to  extract  every  line  of  beauty, 
every  association,  every  moral  reflection,  every  inex- 
pressible feeling  from  it.' 

"  Our  ideas  of  matter  must  then  be  entirely  changed, 
and  we  must  learn  to  look  bevonol  the  seeming:,  to  the 


116  THE  RIGHT  KXOCK. 

true.  We  have  believed  in  the  reality  of  matter  and 
material  environment  because  of  reasoning  from  the 
false  basis  that  man  is  material  or  that  he  is  a  mixture 
of  material  and  spiritual.  To  believe  that  the  flesh 
and  blood  of  our  sister  or  brother  is  their  real  self,  is 
to  believe  God  capable  of  creating  something  utterly 
unlike  himself  (John  iii,  James  i.)  which  may  suffer,  sin 
and  die,  and  if  He  is  all  perfection,  He  can  not  know 
imperfection.  If  He  is  all  spirit,  He  can  not  know  or 
be  matter.  Keep  before  your  mind  the  perfection, 
omnipotence,  omnipresence  of  Spirit,  God  or  Principle, 
and  you  will  see  more  and  more  clearly  the  inconsist- 
ency of  anything  opposite  Him  emanating  from  Him. 

"  Believing  in  matter  as  a  reality,  we  have  endowed 
it  with  all  the  power  of  the  real,  have  ascribed  to  it 
life,  substance  and  intelligence,  when  it  possesses 
neither. 

"  Where  is  the  life  when  the  body  dies?  If  life 
were  inherent  in  the  physical  body,  could  it  ever  cease 
to  be  ?  God  the  eternal  life  principle  can  not  cease  to 
be.  The  life  manifested  through  the  body  is  the  life 
which  is  God  and  can  not  bo  affected  by  the  decay  or 
disappearance  of  the  body. 

"The  invisible  essence  of  life  is  also  the  true  sub- 
stance, the  reliable  and  changeless  something,  upon 
which  we  may  forever  depend.  We  use  the  word 
substance  in  its  etymological  sense  (from  sub,  under 
and  stare,  to  stand),  and  since  Spirit  or  Mind  is  the 
reality  that  underlies  every  material  or  sensible  object, 
there  is  no  substance  to  the  object  itself. 

"  Plato  taught  that  '  ideas,  are  the  only  real  things.' 


WHAT  IS  NOT  TRUE,  117 

Ideas  are  expressions  of  thoughts,  and  thoughts  are 
expressions  of  mind,  and  this  reasoning  brings  us  back 
to  God  as  Mind  and  Mind  as  Cause.  Admitting  Mind 
or  Spirit  to  be  the  life  and  substance  back  of  or  express- 
ing itself  through  the  body,  we  may  easily  see  that 
intelligence  can  not  exist  apart  from  Mind,  and  hence 
can  not  belong  to  matter. 

"  That  the  mind  or  intelligence  is  seated  in  the 
gray  convolutions  of  the  brain,  is  held  by  the  material- 
ists, and  yet  Dr.  Laycock  affirms  '  that  matter  is  fun- 
damentally nothing  more  than  that  which  is  the 
seat  of  motion  to  ends,  of  which  mind  is  the  source 
and  cause.'  Professor  Huxley  crowns  the  statement  by 
saying,  'That  which  perceives  or  Jmows  is  mind  or 
spirit,  and  therefore,  that  knowledge  which  the  senses 
give  us,  is,  after  all,  a  knowledge  of  spiritual  phenom- 
ena.' Professor  Faraday  held  to  the  immateriality  of 
physical  objects. 

"  In  the  language  of  Jesus  the  Christ,  we  are  told, 
'Spirit  is  all,  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing;'  thus  from 
all  classes  of  conscientious  but  confessedly  diverse 
thinkers,  we  find  statements  of  universal  truth,  and 
this  is  what  the  hungry,  starving  world  is  seeking  with 
more  earnestness  than  ever  before. 

"  Since  there  is  no  life,  substance  or  intelligence  in 
matter,  it  will  be  comparatively  easy  to  prove  that 
there  can  be  no  sensation,  for  where  there  is  no  life  in 
the  body,  there  can  be  no  feeling.  Even  the  physiolo- 
gists tell  us  mind  must  know  pain  before  it  can  be 
located  in  the  body.  We  state  therefore  a  theorem 
which  is  practically  demonstrated;  there  is  no  sensation 
in  matter. 


118  .  THE  RIGHT  KXOCK. 

"  As  we  visit  penitentiaries,  reform  schools  and  hos- 
pitals, as  we  read  and  hear  the  startling  statements  of 
press  and  pulpit,  we  grow  disconsolate  and  heavy- 
hearted  over  the  awful  power  and  reality  of  evil,  for- 
getting again  that  He  who  is  perfect  goodness  can  not 
behold  evil  or  in  any  way  permit  its  existence,  any  more 
than  heat  can  permit  cold,  or  light  can  permit  darkness. 

"Granting the  omnipotence  of  Good,  where  is  there 
any  room  for  its  opposite  ? 

"  If  there  is  but  one  Power,  and  that  omnipotent 
and  perfect,  there  can  be  no  evil  in  reality  ;  hence  we 
are  dealing  with  another  lie  when  we  judge  according 
to  appearances,  which  Jesus  said  we  should  not  do.  It 
is  really  disloyalty  to  God  to  impute  to  Him  all  misery, 
pain,  sickness  and  suffering  caused  by  the  evil  and 
ignorance  of  man.  We  are  told :  '  Let  your  soul  be 
subject  to  the  higher  powers,  for  there  is  no  power  but 
of  God.'  Because  we  have  not  done  so,  but  have 
believed  in  every  claim  power,  we  suffer  from  '  evils 
which  our  own  misdeeds  have  wrought,'  as  Milton 
wrote,  or,  in  the  words  of  Emerson,  '  we  in ;/*create  our 
own  evils.' 

"Jeremiah  said:  'It  is  your  sins  that  have  with- 
holden  the  good  things  from  you. ' 

"  According  to  Webster,  'sin  is  a  transgression  of 
the  law  of  God. '  There  is  but  one  law — the  perfect 
and  unchangeable  Truth.  Any  deviation  from  Truth 
is  error,  and  error  is  sin.  In  proportion  as  we  deviate 
from  the  strictly  true,  then,  we  sin.  Because  we  admit 
things  to  be  true  which  are  not  true,  we  admit,  then 
commit  sin,  and  hence  suffer  for  sin.  '  Know  ye  not 


WHAT  IS  NOT  TRUE.  119 

that  to  whomsoever  ye  yield  yourselves  servants  to  obey, 
his  servants  ye  are,  whether  of  sin  unto  death  or 
obedience  unto  righteousness, '  wrote  Paul.  We  first 
think  wrong.  Sin  is  of  the  mind,  not  of  the  body. 

"  To  acknowledge  the  reality  of  sin  or  evil  is  a  trans- 
gression of  the  law,  because,  according  to  pur  estab- 
lished premise,  it  cannot  be  true. 

"  Through  a  misconception  of  our  relation  to  God, 
and  a  belief  in  the  power  of  evil,  we  are  obliged  to 
admit  the  existence  of  sin,  sickness,  and  death,  neither 
of  which  can  be  true  in  the  presence  of  God,  as  the  only 
Reality,  in  which  or  in  whom  are  all  things  that 
eternally  are,  not  that  temporarily  appear. 

"  We  have  believed  in  a  mind  or  power  of  thought 
opposite  and  contrary  to  God,  when  in  reality  there 
can  be  nothing  opposite  or  contrary  to  eternal  Mind. 
We  have  believed  ourselves  endowed  with  a  mind  sep- 
arate from  God,  and  ourselves  subject  to  temptation 
from  some  cause  not  Good.  "\Te  have  believed  in 
minds,  when  there  is  but  one  Mind. 

"  This  false  force,  this  false  mind,  is  variously 
called  the  evil  or  carnal  mind,  the  mind  of  the  flesh, 
the  old  man,  the  serpent,  the  devil,  the  adversary.  It 
is  simply  the  opposite  or  contradictory  of  the  Good, 
the  god  of  evil. 

"  Beside  every  true  or  positive  statement  there  is  a 
false  or  negative  claim,  and  in  so  far  as  we  are  ignorant 
of  the  true,  we  are  in  bondage  to  the  false.  To  believe 
the  claims  of  error  is  to  be  bound;  to  know  the  reality 
of  truth  is  to  be  free.  To  believe  in  a  mind  or  power 
separate  or  opposite  from  God,  is  to  be  subject  to  any 


ISO  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

suppositions  or  beliefs   formulated  by  that  mind   or 
negative  thought. 

"  That  we  are  spiritually  perfect  is  true,  but  it  is 
necessary  for  us  to  prove  that  fact  by  '  working  out  our 
own  salvation,'  by  manifesting  the  positive  or  God 
quality  of  thought  through  our  life  and  actions,  and 
the  only  way  to  be  filled  with  good  thought  is  to 
recognize  and  acknowledge  the  Good  only  as  the  real. 

"This  error,  tempter  or  devil,  was  spoken  of  by 
Jesus  as  having  no  truth,  as  being  a  liar,  and  the 
father  or  cause  of  lies  (John  viii:  44).  Instead  of  devil 
(which  is  only  another  name  for  evil  or  the  slanderer), 
or  'carnal  mind',  as  Paul  called  it,  we  find  mortal 
thought  a  better  term  for  the  expression  of  this  power 
of  thinking. 

"'Why  have  we  this  power  of  thinking  wrong 
thoughts  when  there  is  but  one  good  and  only  Mind? ' 
you  ask.  As  God's  idea,  in  the  image  and  likeness  of 
Mind  that  thinks,  we  have  the  power  of  recognition, 
the  power  to  be  or  not  to  be,  the  possibility  to  become 
sons  of  God.  "We  have  the  power  to  distinguish,  to 
judge,  to  know ;  we  have  the  spirit  that  ever  leads  us 
on  and  on  in  truth. 

"  But  here  is  where  we  fail.  In  our  ignorance  or 
limited  state  of  unfoldment,  we  have  mistaken  the  sym- 
bol for  that  which  is  symbolized ;  we  have  judged 
according  to  appearances  instead  of  righteous  or 
strictly  true  judgment ;  we  have  yielded  to  a  belief  in 
sin,  hence  are  servants  of  sin. 

"  This  mortal  thought  has  a  counterfeit  power,  sim- 
ply because  we  have  delegated  to  it  a  power,  have 


WHAT  IS  NOT  TRUE.  1*1 

acknowledged  it  as  an  entity,  separate  from  the  eter- 
nal Mind. 

"Reasoning  in  this  way  we  find  everywhere  two 
opposites  or  contradictories  to  be  recognized  and 
judged,  as  the  visible  and  the  invisible,  the  material 
and  the  spiritual,  the  false  and  the  true,  the  mortal  and 
the  immortal,  the  unreal  and  the  real,  the  negative  and 
the  positive. 

"  Judging  of  the  true  by  that  which  is  changeless 
and  eternal,  we  can  decide  at  once  on  those  qualities  or 
attributes  belonging  to  or  describing  what  is  true,  and 
by  knowing  what  is  true,  we  can  readily  distinguish  it 
from  the  erroneous. 

"  "We  have  considered  these  great  errors  or  nega- 
tives which  the  world  has  believed  and  still  believes  in, 
and  they  must  be  dealt  with  according  to  scientific  law. 

"  Through  all  the  ages  of  Christianity  have  been 
heard  the  words  of  the  Master:  'If  any  man  will 
come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  take  up  his  cross 
and  follow  me ; '  but  who  has  understood  it  ?  The  let- 
ter of  the  law  has  indeed  been  observed  by  many  earn- 
est followers  of  Jesus  to  a  degree  not  considered  neces- 
sary in  this  age,  but  what  has  it  demonstrated  ?  What 
has  come  of  all  the  fasting  and  renunciation,  the  cruel 
asceticism  and  severe  discipline  ? 

"Do  these  conscientious  disciples  give  an  unmis- 
takable proof  of  their  discipleship  by  showing  the 
signs  that  must  follow  the  true  believer  ?  How  can 
they  when  they  talk  of  sin,  sickness  and  death ;  of 
things  contradictory  to  the  nature,  power  and  presence 
of  God  2 


1^  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK 

"  Then  they  must  not  have  understood  the  spiritual 
import  of  these  words  of  Jesus  to  'deny  himself.' 
Deny  means,  according  to  Webster,  'to  contradict;  to 
declare  not  to  be  true ;  to  disclaim  connection  with  ;  to 
refuse  to  acknowledge ;  to  disown.'  Jesus  meant  deny 
the  mortal  thought,  the  false  self ;  refuse  to  acknowl- 
edge it  as  having  any  authority  ;  and  it  is  only  as  the 
Christian  Scientist  proves  this  to  be  the  true  mode  of 
denying  self,  that  he  can  speak  with  authority  as  to 
the  scientific  method  of  dealing  with  all  the  errors  to 
which  mortal  thought  gives  birth. 

"No  other  way  has  brought  the  desired  result; 
hence  we  confidently  assert  that  all  these  mistakes 
agreed  to  and  participated  in  by  mankind  must  be 
emphatically,  persistently,  scientifically  denied. 

"  Systematically  and  repeatedly  we  say  : 

"  1.  There  is  no  life,  substance  or  intelligence  in 
matter. 

"  2.     There  is  no  sensation  or  causation  in  matter. 

"3.     There  is  no  reality  in  matter. 

"  4.    There  is  no  reality  in  sin,  sickness  or  death. 

"  5.     There  is  no  reality  in  evil. 

"  6.     There  is  no  reality  in  mortal  thought. 

"  This  is  denying  the  self  recognized  by  the  world. 
This  is  the  life  that  must  be  laid  down,  that  must  be 
sacrificed,  lost. 

"  Humanity  has  proven  its  subjection  to  these 
errors.  Now,  by  its  faithful  rejection  of  them,  let  it 
prove  them  lies,  for  the  force  of  a  lie  is  always  annulled 
by  rejection.  This  proves  the  law  referred  to  by  Jesus 
when  he  made  a  denial  of  self  the  first  duty  of  his 
disciples. 


WHA  T  IS  NOT  TR UE.  123 

"  In  denying,  it  is  necessary  to  say  the  words  over 
and  over  again ;  it  may  be  mechanically  at  first,  but 
say  them  over,  several  hours  at  a  time,  if  possible. 

"  More  is  accomplished  by  concentration  than  any- 
body is  aware,  and  the  repetition  of  the  words  helps  to 
concentrate  the  thought.  First  repeat  the  whole  list  of 
denials,  then  select  one  on  which  to  spend  most  of  the 
time  for  several  days.  The  denial  of  matter,  for 
instance,  makes  us  more  spiritually  minded. 

"When  denying,  try  to  realize  there  is  no  space, 
but  that  anywhere  you  send  your  thought  it  will  go, 
and  as  you  think  or  say  the  words,  you  will  be  denying 
error  for  the  world  as  well  as  for  yourself,  as  every 
thought  is  world-wide  in  its  influence,  and  helps  to  free 
or  bind  humanity,  even  as  it  is  truth  or  error. 

"  To  deny  is  to  put  out  of  mind,  to  erase,  as  it 
were,  the  false  beliefs.  Be  earnest,  be  faithful,  and  you 
will  have  an  abundant  reward. 

"  This,  dear  John,  is  the  substance  of  the  lecture  as 
nearly  as  I  can  give  it.  After  Mrs.  Pearl  had  finished 
the  lesson,  she  requested  the  class  to  sit  in  silence  a  few 
moments  and  together  hold  the  thought,  '  There  is  no 
reality  in  matter;'  after  which  we  were  dismissed  with 
this  benediction  :  '  May  we  realize  that  God  is,  that 
spirit  is  the  only  reality.' 

"The  lessons  are  always  opened  by  silent  prayer, 
which  I  have  forgotten  to  mention  before. 

"  Please,  dear  husband,  observe  these  rules  and  study 
every  assertion  as  carefully  as  though  you  were  in  the 
class.  You,  and  Grace,  and  Kate,  can  accomplish  a 
great  deal  together;  but  by  all  means  don't  pass 


1S4 


THE  RIGHT  KNOCK 


judgment   till  you  have   carefully   examined   all   the 
evidence. 

"  Tell  me  all  about  the  children.  Such  details  will 
greatly  comfort  me,  for  I  must  confess  that  to-night  I 
am  the  least  bit  homesick. 

"  Good  night, 

"  Your  loving  MARION." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

"God  is  commanding  us  off,  every  hour  of  our  lives,  toward  things 
eternal,  there  to  find  our  good,  and  build  our  rest.  Sometimes 
He  does  it  by  taking  us  out  of  the  world,  and  sometimes  by 
taking  the  world  out  of  us." — 1J.  BusJmell. 

WHE  second  letter  has  come,"  said  Grace  the 
moment  Kate  entered  the  room,  after  her  day's 
lessons  were  over. 

"  Has  it  ?  Let  us  hurry  and  get  the  tea  over  so  we 
can  study  it." 

"  Don't  you  want  to  hear  it  first?  I  haven't  looked 
at  it  because  I  wanted  to  wait  for  you,  but  I  can't  wait 
that  long,"  cried  Grace,  pulling  it  out  of  her  painting- 
apron  pocket. 

"  All  right,  then  read  away  while  I  start  the  fire." 

"No;  come  and  sit  down  like  a  good  child,  you 
can't  half  listen  when  your  mind  is  filled  with  stoves 
and  tea-pots." 

Kate  smiled,  and  drawing  her  chair  up  beside  Grace, 
she  listened  to  the  reading,  while  her  face  alternately 
brightened  or  darkened. 

"Well,  it  sounds  very  beautiful  and  very  plausible, 
but  I  can't  see  how  any  one  can  say  there  is  no  evil 
when  the  world  is  full  of  it,  and  to  say  there  is  no  sin, 
sickness  or  death !  why,  that  is  blasphemous !  I  know 
the  Bible  won't  corroborate  that,"  she  said,  in  a  horri- 
fied voice,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  letter. 

"  Hold  on,  we  must  not  be  so  fast ;  there  are  good 

125 


m  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

reasons  for  every  statement,  and  she  says  it  is  necessary 
to  say  these  denials  over  and  over.  It  is  harder  for  me 
to  believe  there  is  no  matter,  but  if  there  is  a  way  to 
prove  there  is  none,  then  I  will  submit.  But  first  let 
us  see  what  the  Bible  says,"  said  the  more  moderate 
Grace. 

She  got  the  Bible  and  concordance,  but  could  find 
no  reference  to  matter  as  pertaining  to  physical  crea- 
tion, but  she  found  under  the  word  "  flesh  "  an  allusion 
to  John  i :  12-13,  and  iii :  6.  "  The  first  reads,"  began 
Grace,  "'But  as  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave 
he  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that 
believe  on  his  name,  which  were  born,  not  of  blood, 
nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but 
of  God.'  That  evidently  refers  to  a  creation  possible 
to  all,  but  where  is  the  authority  for  saying  '  there  is 
no  matter'?" 

She  pondered  a  moment,  then  referred  to  the  letter — 
"  Oh,  I  see  !  She  says,  '  no  reality  in  matter,'  and  then 
goes  on  to  explain  about  the  real.  Yes,  now  I  see. 
Do  you  understand  it,  Kate  ? " 

"  I  can  understand  that  the  body  is  not  the  real," 
replied  Kate,  thoughtfully,  "for  Jesus  said  'the  spirit 
is  all,  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing,'  but  — 

"That's  so.  Why  didn't  we  think  of  that  before? 
Besides,  it  was  taught  by  the  ancient  philosophers  as 
much  as  4,000  years  ago,  that  matter  has  no  reality. 
Yes,  its  plain  to  see  how  it  can  be,  theoretically,  but 
where  they  can  demonstrate  it  practically,  puzzles  me. 
Here  is  a  reference;  let  us  see  if  that  will  tell  us 
something." 


STUDYING  AND  PROVING.  127 

She  read  Heb.  xi:  3:  '"Through  faith  we  under- 
stand that  the  worlds  were  framed  by  the  word  of  God, 
so  that  things  which  are  seen  were  not  made  of  things 
which  do  appear.' ': 

"  That  seems  quite  conclusive,"  said  Kate. 

"  Yes,  it  does.  Now  we  will  consider  your  problem," 
replied  Grace,  running  her  finger  down  the  references, 
"  and  see  if  we  can  find  anything  in  that.  Let  us  bear  in 
mind,"  she  continued,  "she  does  not  say  there  is  no 
appearance,  but  no  reality  in  evil.  Among  the  first 
references,  I  find  one  to  the  twenty-third  Psalm :  '  I  will 
fear  no  evil,  for  thou  art  with  me.'  How  plain  that  is ! 
Of  course  there  can  be  no  evil  where  God  is,  and  God  is 
eve^where.  God  is  Love.  In  Love  there  is  no  evil." 

"But  jast  think  of  the  awful  crimes  that  are  com- 
mitted every  day,  and  the  wicked  people  who  commit 
them,"  demurred  Kate,  with  an  incredulous  look. 

"  We  haven't  got  far  enough  to  solve  everything ; 
listen  to  this :  '  Only  with  thine  eyes  shalt  thou 
behold  and  see  the  reward  of  the  wicked,' "  read  Grace. 

"  That  must  mean  that  with  the  carnal  mind  we  see 
all  things  opposite  God,  and  with  the  mind  of  the 
spirit  we  discern  spiritual  things;  that  is  in  Romans 
somewhere,"  exclaimed  Kate,  with  a  gleam  of  under- 
standing in  her  face. 

'•What  word  shall  I  look  for?"  asked  Grace, 
intently  pursuing  her  search. 

"  Mind,  I  think ;  shan't  I  look  for  it  ?" 

"No ;  here  it  is  in  the  eighth  chapter  and  tenth  verse  : 
'The  carnal  mind  is  at  enmity  against  God,  for  it  is 
not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be.' 


128  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

That  is  plain  enough.  It  means  that  all  thoughts  oppo- 
site God  and  God's  creations  are  of  the  animal  man, 
hence  at  enmity  with  God,  and  since  there  is  nothing 
real  but  God  and  His  creations,  of  course  there  is  no 
reality  in  them.  Now  you  are  satisfied,  aren't  you, 
Kate?" 

"  I  suppose  I  ought  to  be,  for  I  don't  see  any  other 
way  to  understand  those  passages,"  she  admitted,  with 
a  sigh  of  relief. 

"Just  one  more,  and  we'll  go  on  to  the  next  denial, 
which  will  hit  me,  I'm  afraid,"  continued  Grace. 

She  turned  to  Isa.  xxxiii:  15-16  :  "  I  declare,  Kate, 
here  is  the  essence  of  the  whole  lesson,"  and  she  read : 
"  'He  that  walketh  righteously,  and  speaketh  uprightly' 
(according  to  the  true  creation),  '  he  that  despiseth  the 
gain  of  oppressions,  that  shaketh  his  hand  from  hold- 
ing of  bribes,  that  stoppeth  his  ears  from  hearing  of 
blood,  and  shutteth  his  eyes  from  seeing  evil ;  He  shall 
dwell  on  high  ;  his  place  of  defence  shall  be  the  muni- 
tions of  rocks ;  bread  shall  be  given  him ;  his  waters 
shall  be  sure.' " 

"  I  really  did  not  know  there  was  such  a  passage 
in  the  Bible,  and  I  don't  see  why  other  people  haven't 
found  it  before,"  said  Kate,  quite  won  over.  "But 
how  strange  it  seems  to  deny  this  way." 

"  Yes,  that  is  the  most  unreasonable  part  of  it,  and 
yet  I  think  Mrs.  Harden  has  explained  it  very  clearly. 
Now  what  is  next  ? "  asked  Grace. 

"  There  is  no  life,  substance  or  intelligence  in  mat- 
ter," answered  Kate,  glancing  at  the  letter. 

"  I  must  confess  that  puzzles  me,"  mused  Grace, 
thoughtfully. 


STUDYING  AND  PROVING.  129 

"  Oh,  that  is  easy  enough  to  understand,  when  you 
remember  the  spirit  is  all,  besides,  when  a  person  dies 
the  organs  of  the  body  may  be  perfect,  but  there  is 
no  life  or  feeling,  and  according  to  this  new  under- 
standing, no  substance,"  explained  Kate,  in  her  turn. 

"  I  can  see  it  well  enough  as  a  theory,  but  what  all 
this  has  to  do  with  practical  every-day  living,  is  a  mys- 
tery to  me." 

"'We  haven't  got  far  enough  to  solve  everything,' 
somebody  said  to  me  once,  and  here  it  is  for  you," 
remarked  Kate,  with  a  spice  of  mischief  in  her  tone. 

"All  right,  what  next?" 

"  No  sensation  or  causation  in  matter ;  but  I  think 
that  is  answered  the  same  way  as  the  other.  But 
this  last  one ;  I  do  wonder  if  the  Bible  corroborates 
it  ?""  Kate  looked  troubled  again,  as  she  read :  "  'There 
is  no  sin,  sickness  nor  death.' " 

"The  same  reasoning  applies  to  that  as  to  all  the 
rest.  There  is  no  reality  to  anything  but  God's 
creation,  and  that  is  changeless  and  perfect.  But  we 
will  see  what  the  Bible  has  to  say;  I.  John  iii:  2-10. 
In  the  second  verse  it  reads : '  Beloved,  now  are  we  the 
sons  of  God,  but  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall 
be  ; '  that  of  course  is  an  assertion  of  our  spiritual  self. 
Then  verse  nine  says:  'Whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth 
not  commit  sin,  for  his  seed  remaineth  in  him  and  he 
can  not  sin,  because  he  is  born  of  God.'  Then  it  seems 
plain  there  can  be  no  sin  to  the  spirit,  neither  can  there 
be  sickness  nor  death." 

"  It  is  wonderful,"  murmured  Kate. 

"What  is  next?"  pursued  Grace,  with  the  concord- 
ance open  before  her. 


ISO  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  That  is  all,  except  she  explains  the  use  and  neces- 
sity of  denial,  and  suggests  to  Mr.  Hayden  the  benefit 
of  denying  for  hours  at  a  time." 

"Well,  we  can  do  that,  too.  If  it  is  good  for  him, 
it  must  be  for  us.  I  mean  to  do  it,"  said  Grace,  shut- 
ting her  book  with  a  snap  and  pacing  back  and  forth 
excitedly. 

"  Oh,  well,  take  it  calmly  ;  we  can  do  that  while  we 
are  getting  supper,  and  I  am  hungry  now.  Do  you 
know  it  is  seven  o'clock?  "  Kate  exclaimed,  looking  at 
her  watch. 

"Two  hours  we  have  been  studying,"  said  Grace. 
"  Really,  this  is  as  interesting  as  painting.  I  don't  see 
one  thing  but  what  is  reasonable,  do  you,  Kate  ? " 

"  Not  the  way  it  seems  now." 

After  everything  was  put  away  they  began  making 
earnest  application  of  the  rules.  Each  sat  silently 
thinking,  according  to  directions:  "There  is  no  realitj7 
in  matter,  there  is  no  reality  in  matter,"  etc.  For 
two  hours  neither  spoke.  Then  Kate  said  :  "  I  feel  so 
light ;  as  though  there  were  no  weight  to  my  body. 
What  does  it  mean  ? " 

"  I  don't  know,  unless  it  shows  you  are  realizing 
what  you  say." 

"  That  is  it.  I  can  feel  that  there  is  no  obstruction 
to  spirit  or  thought ;  that  spirit  is  limitless  and  God  is 
everywhere." 

She  seemed  lost  in  her  new  thoughts,  and  went  to 
bed  as  though  she  were  dreaming.  Grace  had  experi- 
enced nothing  but  a  sense  of  dullness  and  extreme 
sleepiness. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

"The  soul  is  not  a  compensation,  but  a  life.  ThesouHs.  Underall 
this  sea  of  circumstance,  whose  waters  ebb  and  flow  with  per- 
fect balance,  lies  the  aboriginal  abyss  of  real  Being.  Existence 
or  God  is  not  a  relation  or  a  part,  but  a  whole."  —  Emerson. 

"  MAKLOW,  September — . 

BEAR  HUSBAND  :  I  was  made  very  happy  this 
morning  by  the  messages  from  home,  and  es- 
pecially Fred's  and  Jamie's  baby  efforts.  They  wanted 
to  send  mamma  their  love,  and  the  straggling  char- 
acters meant  for  words,  convey  as  much  meaning  as 
though  they  were  in  good  English,  for  they  speak  to 
me  in  unmistakable  language.  Why  do  I  understand 
so  well?  Ah,  John,  I  see.  Because,  being  filled  with 
love  for  them,  I  recognize  the  same  quality  in  what 
they  feel  for  me,  and  only  need  a  sign  to  read  the 
meaning  back  of  it. 

"As  I  write,  new  light  comes  to  me  regarding  the 
real  meaning  of  signs  and  symbols.  Until  we  are 
filled  with  a  desire  and  love  for  God,  we  can  not  per- 
ceive or  understand  the  real  meaning  of  the  universe, 
can  not  read  God's  love  for  us.  Until  we  have  a  con- 
scious apprehension  that  there  is  a  spiritual  knowledge, 
we  can  not  recognize  spiritual  truth. 

"  Oh,  I  can  not  help  wishing  you  had  been  here 
to  day  !  It  was  simply  grand ;  such  an  uplifting,  such 
a  glimpse  of  the  wondrous  Now.  We  learned  about 

131 


1SS  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

what  is,  what  we  are  and  how  to  prove  ourselves  God's 
children.  Mrs.  Pearl  opened  with  a  few  words  on  the 
use  and  necessity  of  silence,  after  which  we  \vere  all 
silent  awhile,  when  she  commenced : 

"Garfield  said,  'The  world's  history  is  a  divine 
poem,  of  which  the  history  of  every  nation  is  a  canto 
and  every  man  a  word.  Its  strains  have  been  pealing 
along  down  the  centuries,  and  though  there  have  been 
the  discords  of  warring  cannon  and  dying  men,  yet 
to  the  Christian,  the  philosopher,  the  historian  and  the 
humble  listener,  there  has  been  a  divine  melody  run- 
ning through  the  song,  which  speaks  of  hope  and 
halcyon  days  to  come.' 

"What  has  made  possible  this  divine  melody  but 
the  spirit  of  love  and  truth  that  ever  animates  the 
children  of  God?  Were  it  not  for  this  vein,  nay  this 
wholeness  of  the  invisible  spirit,  what  could  we  have  on 
which  to  found  hopes  of  'halcyon  days?' 

"  Not  from  the  visible  man  of  flesh  and  blood  do 
all  things  beautiful  and  true  emanate,  nor  from  the 
material  and  unstable,  but  from  the  one  source  that  is 
God,  as  apprehended  and  realized  by  His  idea,  the  real, 
invisible,  spiritual  man.  Beauty,  worth,  can  only  be  in 
idea  or  understanding. 

"What  made  Milton,  Shakespeare,  Emerson,  truly 
great  was  their  appropriation  and  manifestation  of  the 
invisible  inheritance  of  spirit,  mind. 

"What  is  man  without  intelligence,  without  love, 
without  life,  without  truth  ?  The  real  man  is  spiritual 
because  he  is  the  idea  of  Spirit,  Mind,  God,  the  only 
Creator.  All  that  is  grand,  noble,  true  in  an  individual 


WHAT  IS  TRUE.  133 

is  a  manifestation  of  the  God-po\ver  and  presence. 
There  is  but  one  real  Mind,  and  all  real  or  positive 
thought  or  intelligence  is  the  manifestation  of  Mind, 
which  is  God.  There  is  but  one  real  Intelligence,  and 
the  intelligence  manifested  by  the  individual  is  the  In- 
telligence which  is  God. 

"  God  is  absolutely  one  Verity,  the  primordial 
Essence.  But  how  shall  we  know  this  as  a  fact  ?  How 
shall  we  prove  it  as  an  incontrovertible  truth  ?  you  ask. 

"  By  persistent  acknowledgement  of  God  and  His 
creation,  we  become  one  with  Him,  and  to  be  one  with 
God  is  to  know  absolute  Truth.  We  are  conditioned 
by  the  thoughts  we  think  and  by  the  words  we  speak. 
By  thinking  and  speaking  right  words  we  manifest 
true  conditions ;  by  thinking  and  speaking  wrong  words 
we  manifest  false  conditions.  '  As  a  man  thinketh  in 
his  heart  so  is  he.'  If  we  desire  to  manifest  strength, 
justice  or  wisdom  of  God,  we  must  '  acknowledge  God 
in  all  our  ways.' 

"'The  only  salvation,'  says  George  MacDonald, 
1  is  being  filled  with  the  spirit  of  God,  having  the  same 
mind  as  Christ.' 

"  In  order  to  realize  the  essence  of  these  words,  in 
order  to  realize  the  essence  of  any  truth,  we  must  enter 
into  its  meaning  by  becoming  one  with  it,  by  making 
ourselves  the  expression  of  its  harmony,  the  picture  of 
its  idea. 

"  Knowing  the  potency  of  the   word,  we  say  the 
true  words  over  and  over  again,  silently  or  audibly 
we  think  of  them  in  every  possible  way,  with  varied 
expression  if  we  will,  as  it  is  the  thought,  the  prime 
idea  that  we  are  seeking  to  manifest. 


134  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK 

"  We  want  the  true  salvation  ;  '  we  want  to  be  filled 
with  the  spirit;'  we  want  the  truth  that  makes  free;  we 
want  strength,  justice,  wisdom.  To  secure  these  we 
have  only  to  rid  ourselves  of  the  false  and  be  filled  with 
the  true. 

"  By  the  positive  denial  of  a  lie  we  annul  the  lie ; 
by  the  positive  affirmation  of  truth  we  establish  truth, 
or  rather  our  consciousness  of  truth  is  established  ;  thus, 
as  we  deny  error  or  affirm  truth,  are  we  carried  for- 
ward and  upward.  These  are  the  '  wonderful  words  of 
life'  that  clothe  us  with  righteousness. 

"  The  words  that  we  use  first  are  statements  of 
fundamental  Truth,  acknowledging  who  and  what  God 
is,  what  we  are,  and  in  what  relation  we  stand  to  our 
Father. 

"  1.     God  is  life,  Truth,  Love,  Substance. 

"  2.  God  is  omnipresent,  omniscient  and  omnipo- 
tent. 

"3.  I  am  the  idea  of  God,  and  in  Him  I  have  my 
being. 

"  4%  God  is  my  sufficiency  in  all  work  and  my  will 
in  all  ways. 

"  5.  I  am  subject  to  God's  law  and  can  not  sin,  suffer 
or  die. 

"Over  and  over  again  we  speak  the  words,  and 
by  marvelous  law  new  meanings  flash  upon  us,  new 
thoughts  are  born,  new  interpretations  come  to  efface 
the  more  obscure  ones  of  the  past.  It  may  be  easier  to 
fellow  every  denial  with  its  corresponding  affirmation ; 
if  so,  study  the  lesson  that  way. 

"  Hold  to   each  .affirmation  till  it  yields  its  pearl. 


WHAT  18  TRUE.  135 

Take  the  first, '  God  is  Life  ;'  say  the  words  over  and 
over,  think  of  them  in  every  conceivable  way.  Make 
every  tiny  leaf  and  slender  blade  of  grass  tell  you  some- 
thing of  the  infinite  Life.  Bear  in  mind  that  every 
where  life  is  manifested,  whether  in  plant,  animal  or 
man,  wherever  we  look  there  is  omnipresent  Life. 

"  God  is  Life.  This  same  Life  is  our  life,  which  can 
not  be  taken  away  from  us.  This  Life  is  good,  and  in 
It  we  live  even  as  God  lives  in  us.  Oh,  wondrous  life 
that  flows  on  and  on,  without  beginning,  without  end, 
even  as  the  river  sings :  '  Men  may  come  and  men  may 
go,  but  I  go  on  forever.' 

"  God  is  Truth,  all  truth,  wheresoever  or  by  whom- 
soever recognized,  is  the  everlasting  Truth  that  must 
forever  be. 

"  There  is  not  a  community  or  church,  not  a  society 
or  family,  but  is  organized  and  held  together  by  some 
phase  of  the  all-embracing  and  perfect  Truth.  The 
different  sects  and  parties  are  only  different  because 
certain  people  see  the  same  side  of  Truth,  and  preferring 
to  be  of  one  mind,  they  separate  or  unite  and  build 
their  respective  sanctuaries. 

" '  Truth  is  always  present,  and  we  only  need  to  lift 
the  iron  lids  of  the  mind's  eye  to  read  its  oracles,'  said 
Emerson.  "When  the  '  iron  lids '  are  lifted  we  shall 
see  as  one,  we  shall  belong  to  the  Church  of  the  uni- 
verse and  the  oracle  shall  reveal  to  us  its  deepest  secrets 
and  most  sacred  mysteries. 

"  Truth  is.  All  that  we  have,  can  have,  or  will  have 
or  can  conceive  of,  exists  in  the  ever  present  Here  and 
Now.  It  only  remains  for  us  to  recognize  and  acknowl- 
edge it. 


1S6  TUB  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  God  is  Love.  To  realize  the  mighty  sea  of  om- 
nipotent Love  that  enfolds  and  blesses  humanity,  would 
be  to  plunge  into  the  healing  waters  of  Bethesda.  Like 
the  sick  man,  we  wait  until  the  majestic  Christ  com- 
mands us  to  arise  —  help  ourselves,  instead  of  waiting 
for  others  to  put  us  into  the  cleansing  current.  Let  us 
recognize,  then,  the  allness,  the  tenderness,  the  sacred- 
ness  of  this  divine  Love  by  submerging  ourselves  in  it, 
until  all  thoughts  of  evil,  suffering  or  hatred  are  lost 
in  its  embrace. 

" '  Lift  up  the  gates  that  the  king  of  glory  may  enter 
in,'  sang  David,  and  we  too  cry  aloud  with  earnest 
aspiration  that  the  gates  shall  be  lifted  away,  that  into 
our  consciousness  may  come  the  high  tide  of  omni- 
present Love.  '  Love  alone  is  wisdom,  love  alone  is 
power,  and  when  love  seems  to  fail  it  is  where  self  has 
stepped  in  and  dulled  the  potency  of  its  rays.' 

"  God  is  our  substance.  True  substance  alone  is 
reliable.  God  is  our  rod  and  our  staff.  Firmly  rely- 
ing on  the  Rock  of  substance  which  is  God,  we  can  not 
be  shaken,  can  not  be  destroyed.  Though  all  seeming 
powers  totter  and  fall  around  us,  the  One  is  ever  the 
same,  indivisible,  unchangeable  I  Am.  "\Vhen  we  are 
one  with  the  eternal  Substance,  weakness,  danger, 
failure  shrink  into  cowering  nothingness. 

"  Study  to  know,  and  know  to  live,  should  be  our 
motto.  Deny  all  error  and  affirm  all  Truth  is  the  way 
to  appropriate  whatsoever  we  desire  to  manifest. 
Deny  weakness  and  affirm  strength,  deny  discord  and 
affirm  harmony,  deny  sickness  and  affirm  health. 
Why  ?  Because  we  erase  the  false  beliefs  of  weakness 


WHAT  18  TRUE.  1S7 

discord,  sickness,  by  the  denial,  and  appropriate 
strength,  harmony,  wholeness  by  affirmation. 

"  Can  the  spiritual  self  be  ignorant,  weak,  sick  or 
sinful  ?  we  argue.  Impossible,  for  God  is  our  suffi- 
ciency, is  all  there  is.  We  refuse  to  admit  any  belief  of 
dullness  and  ignorance,  but  gratefully  acknowledge 
our  likeness  to  God  our  Wisdom.  We  refuse  to  enter- 
tain anything  contrary  to  the  Good,  but  fellowship 
only  with  God-like  qualities.  They  are  ours  by  right 
of  inheritance.  We  gladly  claim  them  and  prove  our 
claim  by  our  manifestation. 

"Cleansing  our  consciousness  from  false  concep- 
tions, what  wondrous  power  may  we  not  reflect !  Our 
sufficiency  is  of  God,  not  of  ourselves,  and  to  Him  we 
ascribe  all  honor  and  glory. 

44  The  Master  taught  the  divineness  of  yielding  our 
will  wholly  to  God, '  Not  my  will  but  thine  be  done,' 
He  prayed.  This  is  the  highest  conception  of  the 
denial  of  self.  The  mortal  self  is  to  be  set  aside,  our 
immortal  consciousness  awakened  into  oneness  with 
the  Father. 

"  MacDonald  has  beautifully  said,  l  Oneness  with 
the  mighty  All  is  the  one  end  of  life — God  or  chaos 
is  the  only  alternative.'  We  say  God  works  through 
man  to  \vill  and  to  do,  and  implicitly  trust  the  divine 
Intelligence  that  guides  every  waiting  child. 

"We  choose  the  Good  and  reverently  await  our 
leadings.  In  every  stormy  trial,  in  every  doubtful 
moment,  in  every  hard-pressed  circumstance  we  stand 
aside  and  let  the  divine  wrill  work  through  us.  There 
can  be  no  mistaking  this  standing  aside.  It  is  not  to 


1S8  THE  PJC1IT  KXOCE. 

sit  down  idly  with  no  thouglit  of  responsibility  or 
effort,  but  it  is  to  do  the  best  we  can  so  far  as  we  know, 
constantly  awaiting  more  knowledge  of  God's  will  and 
more  strength  to  do. 

"When  the  will  of  man  is  at  one  with  the  will  of 
God,  when  man  realizes  his  mortal  nothingness  and 
the  allness  of  God,  there  is  divine  and  perfect  healing. 
The  poet  was  right  when  he  wrote, 

'  Our  wills  are  ours  we  know  not  how, 
Our  wills  are  ours  to  make  them  Thine.' 

"'I  am  subject  to  the  law  of  God  and  can  not  sin, 
suffer  nor  die.'  The  real  /is  governed  by  spirit,  as  an 
idea  is  governed  by  the  mind  that  thinks  it.  The 
real  creation,  being  spiritual,  can  not  be  subject  to 
mortal  beliefs  or  'carnal  mind  which  is  at  enmity  with 
God.'  With  spirit  there  can  be  no  sin,  sickness  nor 
death,  for  these  are  enemies  to  be  overcome  by  the  Son 
of  God,  the  Christ  within.  'Thou  wilt  keep  him  in 
perfect  peace  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  Thee.'  '  The  last 
enemy  (belief)  to  be  overcome  is  death.' 

"  Until  we  persistently  refuse  to  judge  according  to 
appearances,  and  acknowledge  the  true  and  invisible, 
we  will  continue  in  our  old  code  of  beliefs  and  be  at 
the  mercy  of  the  consequences. 

"  When  we  recognize  the  Christ  or  God  principle 
within,  we  are  then  truly  the  sons  and  daughters  of 
God.  Christian  Science  gives  a  logical  and  to  some,  a 
new  meaning  to  the  term  Christ.  Christ  means  Truth 
and  Truth  means  God.  'In  the  beginning  was  the 
Word  and  the  Word  was  with  God  and  the  Word  was 
God,  and  the  Word  was  made  manifest  in  the 
flesh,  or  the  Word  was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us.' 


WHAT  IS  TRUE.  159 

" '  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth,  thy  word  is 
truth.'  Jesus  said  of  Himself,  'I  am  the  way,  the  truth 
and  the  life.'  But  He  did  not  speak  this  of  His  physical 
body,  He  referred  to  the  spirit  or  Christ  within,  which 
was  one  with  the  Father,  that  was  and  is,  literally  the 
way,  the  truth  and  the  life.  If  you  will  substitute 
Truth  for  Christ  any  place  in  the  Bible,  with  this  under- 
standing, you  will  be  able  to  read  and  apprehend  as 
never  before.  In  this  line  of  thought  read  the  thirty- 
fifth  chapter  of  Isaiah,  the  title  of  which  is  'The  joyful 
flourishing  of  Christ's  (Truth's)  kingdom.'  With  this 
understanding,  we  so  much  more  clearly  see  what  Paul 
meant  when  he  said  such  things  as  '  Your  life  is  hid 
with  Christ  in  God,'  '  Christ  in  you,  the  hope  of  glory,' 
'Until  Christ  be  formed  in  you,'  and  many  other 
similar  expressions.  In  the  eighth  chapter  of  Romans, 
especially  the  first  verse,  it  is  much  clearer  by  reading 
with  this  new  spiritual  signification.  'There  is,  there- 
fore, now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus  (Truth),  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh  but  after 
the  spirit.'  Who  could  ever  believe  the  physical  Jesus 
was  meant?  No:  Christ  was  exactly  what  the  first 
chapter  of  John  says  He  was,  the  "Word  (or  Truth) 
made  manifest  in  the  flesh,  and  the  name  of  the  flesh 
was  Jesus. 

"  Jesus  Christ  means  Jesus,  the  manifestation  of 
Truth,  and  this  explains  many  hitherto  obscure  passages, 
which  are  exceedingly  hard  to  understand,  when  the 
flesh  and  spirit  are  regarded  as  one. 

"What vast  possibilities  unfold  to  the  human  being 
persistent  in  his  search  for  truth!  What  a  glorious 


140  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

ivulm  of  knowledge,  what  wonderful  power,  what  bliss- 
ful peace,  for  he  will  have  'put on  the  new  man,  which 
is  renewed  in  knowledge  after  the  image  of  him  that 
creates  him/  He  will  have  attained  the  clear  vision  of 
liberty,  for  he  will  no  longer  be  bound  to  the  'letter 
that  killeth'  but  be  filled  with  the  'spirit  that  giveth 
life.' 

"The  silence  at  the  close  seemed  like  a  baptism  of 
peace.  To  me  came  the  realization  of  the  intimate 
relationship  of  God's  children  to  their  Father,  whose 
love  ever  comes  as  a  benediction  to  those  who  will  or 
can,  recognize  and  appropriate  it. 

"  With  love  to  you  all,  I  am, 

"YouR  MARION. 

"  P.  S.  I  take  great  pains  to  have  the  quotations 
accurate,  and  fortunately  I  have  made  the  acquaintance 
of  the  shorthand  reporter  in  the  class  who  sits  next  to 
me ;  she  takes  notes  and  as  a  special  favor,  reads  the 
quotations  for  me  after  the  class  is  dismissed. 

"  Once  more,  good-bye.     M." 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

"  Got  but  the  truth  once  uttered,  and  'tis  like 
A  star  new-born  that  drops  into  its  place, 
And  which,  once  circling  in  its  placid  round, 
Not  all  the  tumult  of  the  earth  can  shake." — Lowell. 

MOW  are  you  getting  on  in  your  study  of  Chris- 
tian Science  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Ilayden,  meeting  Kate 
as  he  was  going  home,  and  handing  her  the  letter. 

"  It  is  getting  plainer,  but  Grace  seems  to  catch  the. 
reason  of  things  much  more  readily  than  I.  In  fact,  I 
am  afraid  I  should  have  given  up  in  disgust  had  not 
she  helped  me  out,  for  some  of  the  statements  seemed 
so  unreasonable." 

"  They  are  rather  inconsistent  in  some  respects,  I 
must  admit ;  but  if  we  will  only  be  patient,  and  not 
allow  prejudice  to  color  our  judgment,  everything  will 
straighten  out,"  replied  Mr.  Hayden,  smiling.  "  You 
notice  Marion  is  careful  to  warn  me  not  to  judge 
hastily.  She  knows  how  I  am  in  religious  matters, 
always  insisting  on  the  one  interpretation.  But  I  am 
growing  some,  I  hope,  so  I  trust  my  judgment  is 
broad  enough  to  make  a  fair  and  impartial  investi- 
gation." 

"Do  you  follow  directions  about  denying?"  Kate 
asked,  as  the}''  walked  along. 

"  I  am  trying  to,  but  of  course  my  days  are  busy, 
and  evenings  somewhat  taken  up  with  the  children. 
Still,  I  deny  matter  as  being  inert,  having  absolutely 

w 


142  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

no  power  of  itself,  except  what  is  delegated  to  it  by 
the  senses.  I  know  it  has  no  life,  intelligence  or  causa- 
tion of  itself,  but  only  as  man  in  his  ignorance  allows 
it  to  have.  This  has  been  held  by  wise  men  of  all 
ages.  I  have  an  idea  Christian  Science  will  help  me  in 
business  as  well  as  socially  and  religiously." 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  that,"  said  Kate;  "though  I 
must  confess  at  first  I  was  very  much  afraid  to  look 
into  this;  but  last  night  I  had  a  very  clear  assurance 
that  there  is  something  in  it.  Grace  and  I  denied  a 
long  time,  and  I  had  a  most  peculiar  experience.  Such 
a  strange,  exalted  feeling,  as  if  there  were  no  weight 
about  me,  and  it  was  very  clear  that  there  is  no  reality 
in  matter." 

"  Kemarkable ! "  murmured  Mr.  Ilayden.  "  Suppose 
you  come  down  Sunday  and  we'll  compare  notes,"  he 
suggested,  as  he  turned  the  corner  toward  home. 

"We  will,"  she  promised,  and  went  on  with  a  hur- 
ried step,  anxious  to  read  the  letter,  for  she  was  no\v 
as  interested  as  Grace.  When  she  arrived  at  their  rooms 
she  found  her  friend  had  gone  out,  so  she  went  about 
the  domestic  duties,  resolving  to  have  everything  ready 
when  Grace  returned. 

"Isn't  that  a  beautiful  lesson?"  exclaimed  Grace, 
when  they  finally  sat  down  to  study,  later  in  the  even- 
ing. 

"  Perfectly  grand;  but  I  want  the  Bible  corrobora- 
tion,  though  I  am  not  afraid  it  is  not  there  this  time." 

"  Of  course  everything  that  proves  the  theory  helps 
to  establish  the  consequent  facts,  and  I  suspect  all 
things  prove  it  when  we  understand  it.  Well,  here  is 


IT  MUST  BE  SO.  143 

the  first  statement  about  God  that  is  about  the  same  as 
in  the  first  lesson,"  said  Grace.  "  Look  up  the  refer- 
ences to  life." 

"  Here  is  one  in  Psalm  xxvii :  1.  '  The  Lord  is  my 
life  and  my  salvation,  whom  shall  I  fear?'  "  read  Kate ; 
"  and  here  is  another  in  Acts  xvii :  25 :  '  God  giveth  to 
all  life,  and  breath,  and  all  things.' ': 

"That  is  good;  see  if  you  can  find  another,"  said 
Grace. 

"Here  is  one,  but  I  hardly  understand  it — John  xi : 
25,  26.  '  Jesus  said  unto  her,  I  am  the  resurrection  and 
the  life ;  he  that  believeth  on  me,  though  he  were  dead, 
yet  shall  he  live;  and  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth 
in  me  shall  never  die.'  What  can  that  mean,  Grace?" 

u  Wait  a  moment,"  said  Grace,  silently  pondering. 
Then  she  looked  again  at  the  letter.  "  Why,  of  course ! 
How  could  we  forget  so  easily  ?  I  had  it  just  a  moment 
ago.  Jesus  never  referred  to  his  flesh  and  blood  \vhen 
he  spoke  of  himself  as  life,  resurrection,  truth,  bread, 
but  always  meant  the  Spirit  of  God  that  was  manifest 
in  him,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  which  is  the  Christ,  is 
Truth,  and  whosoever  believes  or  apprehends  Truth, 
shall  be  whole  and  live." 

"  But  it  says,  '  shall  never  die,' "  interrupted  Kate, 
still  unsatisfied. 

"  I  don't  know,  then,  unless  it  means  'the  Spirit  is 
all/  Find  another  passage." 

Kate  read  John  vi :  51-64,  and  then  added,  anx- 
iously, "  it  seems  to  grow  more  mysterious  all  the 
time." 

"  Never  mind,  let  us  be  patient.     Read  the  fifty-first 
and  sixty-third  verses  again." 


144  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

Kate  read,  " '  I  am  the  living  bread  which  came 
down  from  heaven,  if  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  he 
shall  live  forever ;  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give  is  my 
flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world.  . 
It  is  the  spirit  thatquickeneth ;  the  flesh  profiteth  noth- 
ing, the  words  that  I  speak  unto  you  they  are  spirit 
and  they  are  life.' " 

"That  last  clause  is  the  key  to  all,"  exclaimed 
Grace,  eagerly.  "  He  was  the  Word,  idea  made  man- 
ifest in  the  flesh.  Flesh  was  a  symbol  of  Word,  and  lie 
said  they  were  to  eat  his  flesh,  which  meant  they  were 
to  eat  his  word.  Now  let  us  look  up  Word,  since  so 
much  hinges  upon  that." 

Rapidly  turning  over  the  leaves,  Kate  read  again, 
John  xv  :  7 :  "  *  If  ye  abide  in  me  and  my  words  abide 
in  you,  ye  shall  ask  what  ye  will  and  it  shall  be  done 
unto  you.' " 

"There  we  have  it.  Christ,  we  must  remember, 
means  Truth.  If  we  abide  in  the  Truth  and  the  words 
of  Truth  abide  in  us,  that  is,  in  order  to  eat  the  flesh 
and  drink  the  blood  of  Christ,  we  are  to  abide  in  the 
spirit  and  speak  the  words  of  Truth.  Oh,  how  beau- 
tiful!" 

"  Yes,  it  is.  Here  is  another  passage,  Col.  iii :  3,  4 : 
4  For  ye  are  dead,  and  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in 
God.  .  .  .  When  Christ,  who  is  our  life,  shall  appear, 
then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory.'  Even  I, 
can  see  that,"  cried  the  delighted  Kate,  "and  I  remem- 
ber a  verse  in  Ephesians,  iv  :  18,  that  will  make  it  still 
plainer.  Here  it  is:  'Having  the  understanding  dark- 
ened, being  alienated  from  the  life  of  God  through  the 


IT  MUST  BE  SO.  1J£ 

ignorance  that  is  in  them,  because  of  the  blindness  of 
their  heart '  (mind).  Ignorance  is  the  opposite  of  truth, 
and  one  who  is  ignorant  of  truth  is  subject  to  the  car- 
nal mind  which  leads  to  death.  When  we  know  truth, 
we  know  the  opposite  of  death,  which  is  life,  so  when 
Christ  the  Truth,  which  is  life,  shall  appear,  we  shall  be 
glorified  with  the  knowledge  of  eternal  life,  and  just 
as  far  as  we  realize  truth  we  manifest  it,  do  we  not  ? " 
She  appealed  to  Grace,  as  if  the  thought  were  too  good 
to  be  true,  and  must  needs  be  confirmed  before  she 
could  believe  it. 

"  Manifest  it  ?  Why  yes;  I  suppose  so ;  that  means 
in  the  body,"  answered  Grace,  thinking  deeply;  "  mani- 
fest truth  in  the  body.  Of  course,"  she  continued, 
"  we  will  show  forth  a  more  perfect  body  in  proportion 
as  we  acknowledge  and  realize  more  perfect  thought. 
How  strangely  we  lose  our  premise !  If  this  could  not 
be  reasoned  out  so  clearly,  I  should  get  all  tangled  up ; 
as  it  is,  I  don't  keep  out  of  snarls." 

"  Just  think  of  poor  me  who  seem  to  have  no  rea- 
soning faculty  at  all  in  these  matters.  What  should 
I  have  done  without  you  to  help  me  out  ? "  queried 
Kate. 

Grace  smiled  as  she  replied  :  "In  one  sense  you  will 
get  on  faster  than  I,  for  you  can  get  it  spiritually  or 
intuitively,  while  I  get  it  only  intellectually,  and  the 
intuition  flies  where  reason  walks.  You  had  a  percep- 
tion of  the  unreality  of  matter  last  night  and  I  had 
nothing  at  all  but  stupidity  and  sleepiness.  But  let  us 
go  on.  I  am  more  deeply  interested  than  I  can  tell, 
and  the  Bible  is  a  new  book  to  me.  I  never  dreamed 


146  1HE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

there  were  such  treasures  of  truth  in  it.  ]S"o  matter 
where  I  read  in  the  Bible  before,  I  could  not  understand, 
and  then  I  stopped  trying,  but  it  is  very  different  now." 

"  What  is  the  next  point  in  the  lesson  ? "  asked 
Kate,  taking  up  the  Bible  again. 

"  I  am  the  child  of  God.     Look  for  child." 

"  Yes,  in  Kom.  viii :  16,  17 :  '  The  spirit  itself  beareth 
witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  children  of  God : 
and  if  children,  then  heirs;  heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs 
of  Christ ;  if  so  be  that  we  suffer  with  him.' " 

"  That  means,"  said  Grace,  "  we  puove  ourselves  heirs 
if  we  suffer  with  him,  mortify  the  flesh,  lay  down  the  life 
of  appetites  and  passions  and  talk  continually  of  spir- 
itual things;  in  short,  live  the  life  that  Jesus  did." 

"  Here  in  Gal.  iv:  1:  '  The  heir,  as  long  as  he  is  a 
child,  differeth  nothing  from  a  servant,  though  he  is 
lord  of  all,' "  read  Kate. 

"While  he  has  a  child's  ignorance  of  his  inherit- 
ance, of  course  he  could  not  enjoy  its  possession, 
and  the  longer  he  remains  ignorant,  the  longer  will 
he  have  the  station  of  a  servant,"  explained  Grace, 
readily. 

"  But  there  is  a  seeming  conflict  in  the  two  pas- 
sages. The  first  says  the  spirit  itself  tells  us  we  are 
children 'and  heirs,  and  the  second  says,  as  long  as  he 
is  a  child,  even  though  an  heir,  he  is  nothing  but  a  ser- 
vant," said  Kate,  in  perplexity  again. 

"  But  isn't  there  a  place  in  the  Testament  some- 
where about  being  born  again  ? "  inquired  Grace. 

"  Yes,  replied  Kate,  wondering  what  that  could 
have  to  do  with  it.  Yes,  that  is  where  Nicodemus 
went  to  Jesus  by  night  — " 


IT  MUST  BE  SO.  147 

"  Find  it,"  interrupted  Grace,  who  was  determined 
to  be  thorough  in  this  study  at  least. 

"  John,  iii:  3-7,  reads:  '  Except  a  man  be  born  again, 
he  can  not  see  the  kingdom  of  God.  .  .  .  That 
which  is  born  of  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  born 
of  spirit  is  spirit.' ': 

"  Well !  "     said  Kate,  as  she  finished. 

"  Didn't  we  learn  that  the  words  are  spirit  and  life, 
and  does  it  not  mean  we  are  born  into  the  spiritual 
knowledge  by  abiding  in  the  words  of  truth  ? "  reasoned 
Grace. 

"  Why,  that  is  it,  I  do  believe,  and  one  of  the  last 
verses  of  the  third  chapter  of  Galatians  says,  '  for  ye 
are  all  the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.' " 

"  By  faith  in  the  Truth,"  amended  Grace,  for  the 
sake  of  the  clearer  meaning. 

"  What  a  stupid  I  am  ! "  cried  Kate.  A  moment 
later  she  said  thoughtfully,  "  there  is  a  text  in  the  first 
chapter  of  James  which  reads  :  '  Of  his  own  will  begat 
he  us  with  the  word  of  truth,  that  we  might  be  a  kind 
of  first  fruits  of  his  creatures.'  My  youthful  Sun- 
day school  training  is  not  quite  in  vain,"  she  added, 
meekly. 

"  It  would  not  take  us  so  long  if  we  knew  the  Bible 
as  some  people  do,  provided  we  want  to  take  that  as 
sole  authority,"  remarked  Grace,  referring  to  the  letter 
again. 

"  I  don't  know  about  the  advantage  of  knowing  the 
passages  unless  you  can  interpret  them,  and  that  is 
certainly  essential  to  the  understanding,"  replied  Kate, 
thoughtfully,  as  she  drew  her  hand  sknvly  over  tks 
open  page. 


148  THE  EIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  Mrs.  Hayden  refers  to  the  liberty  brought  by  the 
spirit.  Suppose  you  look  up  a  reference  to  liberty," 
suggested  Grace. 

44  Yes,"  said  Kate,  a  moment  later,  "  here  in  verses 
17  and  18  of  II.  Cor.,  third  chapter,  it  reads,  'Now  the 
Lord  is  that  spirit,  and  where  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  is, 
there  is  liberty.  .  .  .  But  we  all,  beholding  as  in  a 
glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same 
image  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord.' " 

"  Why,  Grace,"  exclaimed  Kate,  shutting  the  book 
in  her  eagerness,  "I  see  it  all  now.  By  denial 
we  take  away  falsities  that  bar  us  from  looking  into 
the  face  of  God  (Good),  and  by  the  affirmation  we 
acknowledge  Him,  which  is  turning  an  open  face  to 
Him  and  reflecting  His  glory.  Isn't  that  the  \vay  you 
understand  it?" 

Kate's  face  was  all  aglow  with  enthusiasm.  A  new 
light  had  come  to  her,  and  she  was  lifted  to  a  higher 
plane,  both  in  conception  and  feeling. 

"That  is  a  beautiful  interpretation,  but  I  don't  want 
to  stop  to  think  about  it  now,"  said  Grace,  with  a 
yawn,  betraying  fatigue  for  the  first  time. 

"  Why,  Grace,  a  little  while  ago  you  said  you  were 
'  so  interested.'  What  has  come  over  you  ? "  was 
Kate's  rather  discomfited  answer. 

"Oh,  nothing,  nothing!"  rejoined  Grace  hastily, 
"only  you  know  one  can  be  surfeited  with  good  things, 
but  never  mind.  I  shall  not  stop  till  we  get  through 
with  this  looking  up,  and  then  1  must  have  a  good 
long  think."  She  playfully  chucked  Kate  under  her 


IT  MUST  BE  SO.  140 

chin,  and  asked  her  "  to  go  on/'  but  the  searching  was 
not  so  spontaneous  as  before,  and  in  the  spontaneity 
of  study  lies  the  acquisition  of  knowledge. 

Grace,  it  must  be  confessed,  was  compelling  herself 
to  a  thorough  intellectual  investigation  which,  till 
now,  had  been  a  novel  pleasure,  but  \vas  getting  a  little 
monotonous,  although  she  was  deeply  interested  and 
more  pleased  with  the  Bible  readings  than  she  would 
have  thought  possible,  because,  as  she  had  said  herself, 
the  Bible  has  been  a  sealed  book  to  her  before.  She 
was  very  careful  to  conceal  this  new  feeling  from  Kate, 
for  at  least,  she  would  not  Jay  one  obstacle  in  henpnth, 
and  after  a  few  moments'  desultory  conversation,  they 
went  on  as  before. 

"  The  next  affirmation  is  about  the  will,  what  can 
you  find  for  that  ? "  asked  Grace,  as  they  had  resumed 
their  study  again. 

"  I  have  found  it  already,"  replied  Kate,  with  her 
finger  on  the  passage.  "  In  Phil,  ii :  13 :  '  For  it  is 
God  who  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of 
his  good  pleasure.'  That  subordination  to  the  will  of 
God  runs  all  through  the  New  Testament." 

"  Here  is  the  last  one,"  resumed  Grace,  referring  to 
the  letter  again.  "  I  am  subject  to  God's  law  and 
can  not  sin,  suffer  or  die,"  she  read. 

"  Oh,  that  does  not  sound  right;  I  do  not  see  how 
it  can  be  right  to  say  such  things,'"'  interposed  Kate, 
darkening  again. 

She  looked  up  a  reference  to  sin  and  turned  to  the 
sixth  chapter  of  Romans.  "  I  don't  see  very  clearly 
yet,"  she  faltered,  after  she  had  finished  the  chapter. 


150 


THE  EIGHT  KNOCK. 


"  Yes,  in  the  16th  verse  is  the  key  to  it  all,"  said 
Grace,  looking  over  the  page  with  her.  "  The  idea  is, 
if  \ve  admit  sin  or  talk  about  it,  we  are  committing 
sin,  for  it  is  wrong  to  do  either." 

"I  understand  a  little  better  now,  but  it  is  not  an 
easy  matter  to  be  so  good,"  sighed  Kate. 

"  But  we  are  given  these  rules  in  order  to  know  Junr 
to  be  good.  Let  us  sit  as  we  did  last  night,  and  say 
these  affirmations,"  suggested  Grace,  determined  to  do 
her  duty,  for  Kate's  sake  at  least. 

Diligence  and  faithfulness  never  fail  to  bring  forth 
fruit,  and  they  were  laboring  hard.  both,  with  soil  and 
seed. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

"Each  of  us  is  a  distinct  flower  or  tree  in  the  spiritual  garden  of 
God, — precious  each  for  its  own  sake  in  the  eyes  of  Him  who 
is  even  now  making  us, — each  of  us  watered  and  shone  upon 
and  filled  with  life  for  the  sake  of  His  flower,  His  completed 
being,  which  will  blossom  out  of  Him  at  last  to  the  glory  and 
pleasure  of  the  great  Gardener.  For  each  has  within  him  a 
secret  of  Divinity;  each  is  growing  toward  the  revelation  of  that 
secret  to  himself,  and  so  to  the  full  reception,  according  to  his 
measure  of  the  Divine."—  George  MacDonald. 

"MA.KLOW,  September . 

BEAR  HUSBAND:  Your  letter  seemed  the  only 
bright  spot  in  my  yesterday's  experience,  for, 
strange  as  it  may  seem,  I  awoke  with  the  same  old 
headache  and  pain  in  my  limb,  and  felt  so  dull  and 
stupid,  that  I  was  almost  doubtful  whether  I  had  ever 
known  anything.  In  vain  I  tried  to  treat  myself,  but 
the  more  I  tried  the  more  perplexed  I  became,  until 
about  noon,  when  I  began  to  feel  better,  though  the 
whole  day  was  a  novel  and  rather  disagreeable  experi- 
ence. "When  I  went  into  class  to-day,  from  nearly 
every  quarter  was  heard  a  similar  story  of  how  the  day 
of  rest  had  been  passed. 

"  It  was  more  and  more  astonishing.  Dr.  Bright  had 
hardly  recovered  from  her  sick  headache  ;  Mrs.  Dawn 
was  still  feeling  stupid ;  two  ladies  were  not  able  to 
attend  class ;  Dr.  Johnson  and  Dr.  Lorimer  actually 
looked  angry,  and  the  two  ministers  in  the  class  were 
gravely  discussing  the  knotty  points  and  knitting  their 

151 


IS*  THE  EIGHT  KNOCK. 

clerical  bro\vs  over  'doubtful  explanations'  as  they 
called  them,  while  a  perplexed  and  troubled  air  seemed 
to  settle  on  everybody.  But  there  are  a  few  old 
students  in  the  class,  and  they  looked  at  us  with  a 
knowing  smile,  saying :  '  This  is  only  chemicalization ; 
you  will  be  all  the  brighter  after  you  get  over  it.' 

"  They  did  not  explain  further,  but  I  knew  some- 
thing about  it  from  the  experience  we  have  had,  but 
had  never  thought  of  it  in  that  light.  '  It  is  a  comfort 
to  know  there  is  some  prospect  of  an  end  to  our  dark- 
ness any  way,'  said  Mrs.  Dawn,  with  a  long-drawn  breath 
of  relief,  voicing  the  sentiments  of  all. 

"  The  kind  and  gracious  look  Mrs.  Pearl  gave  us  as 
she  came  in,  sent  a  wave  of  peace  and  satisfaction  over 
me,  for  I  felt  that  she  understood  the  situation  and 
would  lift  the  curtains  and  let  in  the  light. 

"  After  the  usual  silence,  which  seemed  longer  than 
before,  Mrs.  Pearl  began  in  a  calm  clear  voice  : 

"We  have  come  now  to  a  point  where  it  seems 
necessary  to  explain  the  process  of  growth,  and  the 
phenomenal  changes  which  take  place  at  certain  stages 
of  our  development,  whether  known  or  unknown  to 
the  individual. 

"Hitherto  we  have  recognized  material  ideas,  ob- 
jects and  processes.  "We  have  looked  upon  our  physical 
being  as  the  indisputable  creation  subject  to  all  changes, 
circumstances  or  conditions.  Having  experienced  a 
material  birth,  we  conceive  of  no  other  as  being  either 
possible  or  necessary,  and  like  Nicodemus  we  go  in  the 
night  of  our  ignorance  to  ask  the  divine  Teacher,  Truth, 
questions  concerning  spiritual  things,  only  to  be  told 


THE  SPIRITUAL  BIRTH.  153 

we  must  be  born  from  above  if  we  would  know  the 
things  of  the  spirit.  'That  which  is  born  of  flesh  is 
flesh,  and  that  which  is  born  of  Spirit  is  spirit.' 

"  We  are  covered  with  the  cold,  hard  shell  of  mate- 
rial beliefs,  which  must  be  broken  and  castaway  before 
the  sweet  and  tender  germ  of  spirit  can  spring  up.  We 
are  born  like  the  flowers,  and  blossom  like  them.  'Con- 
sider the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they  grow.' 

"Seed  typifies  the  desire  for  truth  planted  in  the 
conscious  and  unconscious  being.  The  more  constantly 
and  persistently \ve  hold  the  desire,  the  more  rapid  and 
perfect  will  be  the  development  that  produces  the 
fruit.  The  hard  little  kernel  must  first  lie  in  the  dark 
earth,  while  hidden  forces  make  it  swell  and  sprout  until 
the  outer  shell  dies  and  falls  away,  leaving  the  pure 
white  germ  to  push  its  way  up  and  up  through  the  cold 
dreary  earth.  At  this  period  it  is  very  delicate  and 
tender,  and  yet  it  must  pass  through  a  trying  stage,  for 
when  the  white  spire  just  peeps  above  the  ground  it 
has  to  encounter  elements  that  at  first  seem  bent  upon 
its  destruction. 

"  Will  the  sun's  rays  now  prove  too  hot  for 
it?  Will  the  winds  be  too  rough  and  stormy?  Will 
the  cold  air  bite,  or  the  storm  beat  and  bruise  it  unto 
death  ?  Pointing  ever  skyward,  does  it  stop  to  shiver 
at  the  prospect  of  dark  and  cold  and  heat,  or  windy 
violence? 

"  Let  us  see.  Bravely  the  young  shoot  goes  its  way. 
As  soon  as  it  sees  the  light  it  displays  new  beauty,  and 
the  reflected  glory  clothes  it  in  a  brighter  robe  —  the 
fresh,  dainty  green  of  spring's  supernal  dress,  emblem 


154  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

of  everlasting  youth.  But  a  storm  of  wind  and  rain 
assails  it.  Dense  cloud-curtains  hide  the  sun,  and  the 
air  is  cold  and  chilling.  Sometimes  for  days  this 
benumbing  coldness  lasts.  But  after  the  storm  our  lit- 
tle friend  is  greener  and  brighter  and  larger  than  ever. 
It  has  withstood  the  storm  and  wind,  by  using  them 
for  its  own  advancement.  Everything  has  been  turned 
into  good  by  recognizing  only  the  good. 

"When  the  sunshine  comes  again  the  little  slip  is 
baptized  with  dew  and  warmth  and  light,  and  joyously 
springs  on  toward  budding  time,  and  then  another 
and  different  experience  befalls.  Instead  of  rolling 
every  new  leaf  outward  to  be  bathed  in  the  light  and 
kissed  by  the  wind,  there  is  a  rolling  inward,  a  curling 
up  and  shutting  in  of  the  new  and  delicate  leaves.  A 
hard,  unlovely  roll  or  lump  now  displays  itself  on  the 
green  stem,  and  every  day  the  roll  becomes  larger  and 
harder.  The  green  stalk  never  questions,  though  for  a 
time  her  face  is  veiled.  She  lives  in  the  waiting 
silence,  content  with  what  is.  One  bright  day  she 
looks  at  her  ugly  bud  and  finds  it  a  rare  blossom  of 
surpassing  beauty  and  sweetest  fragrance.  Thus  is 
born  the  fair-robed  lily,  pure  emblem  of  the  child  of 
God. 

"  But  we  have  many  and  various  symbols  of  divine 
thought  in  the  many  and  various  flowers,  from  which 
we  learn  divine  lessons.  There  are  the  violets  that 
come  so  early  in  the  spring,  with  their  wildwood  fra- 
grance and  dainty  blue  cloaks,  and  the  lovely  roses  of 
summer,  the  goldenrods  and  asters  of  autumn,  while 
among  the  rarer  kinds  we  have  the  night-blooming 


THE  SPIRITUAL  BIRTH.  155 

cereus,  the  beautiful  but  slow  blossoming  century 
plant,  and  many  others.  These  are  types  and  symbols 
of  ourselves  and  our  process  of  birth  and  unfoldment. 

"  The  ne\v  birth  is  a  development  from  material  to 
spiritual  knowledge.  The  individual  corresponds  to 
one  or  another  plant,  but  none  may  know  at  what  par- 
ticular stage. 

"  Some  blossom  early,  some  late,  some  manifest  a 
nature  like  the  violet,  others  the  rose,  the  water  lily  or 
the  century  plant.  I  can  not  tell,  you  can  not  tell, 
none  can  tell.  Even  the  Master  said,  'The  wind 
bloweth  where  it  listeth  and  thou  hearest  the  sound 
thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh  or  whither 
it  goeth,  so  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  spirit.' 

"  The  wonderful  seed  (desire  for  truth)  we  have 
planted  must  be  moistened  by  the  water  of  rig'ht  words, 
warmed  by  the  sunshine  of  faith,  fed  by  the  dew  of 
patience. 

"Our  trials  will  be  similar  in  character  to  the 
flowers,  and  the  outcome  will  be  the  same  in  proportion 
as  we  follow  their  example  of  unquestioning  faithful- 
ness. 

"  The  very  desire  to  grow  is  a  challenge  to  the  ele- 
ments that  seem  to  oppose  growth,  but  the  plant  over 
comes  all  obstacles  by  its  non-resistance,  and  herein 
lies  one  of  our  most  valuable  lessons. 

"  In  our  progress  we  meet  with  many  conditions 
and  circumstances  that  try  us,  that  seem  indeed  to  call 
in  question  our  earnestness  in  thus  starting  out,  with 
new  assumptions.  Sometimes  these  adverse  conditions 
are  called  trials  of  faith  and  they  may  come  to  us  in 


156  THE  EIGHT  KNOCK. 

one  way  or  another,  sometimes  in  sickness,  sometimes 
in  misunderstandings,  sometimes  in  grief,  sometimes  in 
disagreeable  duties. 

"  Peculiarities  of  disposition  that  we  thought  over- 
come, may  manifest  themselves  very  unexpectedly  and 
cause  us  great  annoyance,  not  only  because  we  may 
have  congratulated  ourselves  on  having  risen  above 
them,  but  because  it  would  be  a  mortification  to  us  to 
have  our  friends  know  that  we  who  believe  in  the  pos- 
sibility of  such  high  moral  attainments,  should  be  guilty 
of  these  old  weaknesses  and  follies.  In  every  way, 
the  tempter — mortal  thought — may  show  us  the  falli- 
bility of  human  nature  and  tempt  us  to  disbelieve  in 
our  high  ideals. 

"  The  forty  days'  temptation  in  the  wilderness  is 
the  soul  history  of  every  human  being  who  starts  out 
to  lead  the  life  of  Jesus.  Tempted  in  everything 
as  we  are,  he  was  the  type  of  strength,  purity  and 
faithfulness  to  principles,  which  we  most  earnestly 
should  seek  to  follow.  After  his  baptism,  '  He  was 
conducted  by  the  spirit  into  the  desert  to  be  tempted 
by  the  enemy.' 

"  We  are  baptized  by  the  spirit  when  we  have  come 
into  the  realization  of  our  sonship  and  daughtership, 
our  true  relation  to  the  divine  Father  and  Mother  Love, 
and  have  consecrated  our  lives  to  the  service  of  Truth. 
In  order  that  we  may  be  fully  aware  of  the  magni- 
tude of  our  desire,  we  are,  as  it  were,  led  by  the  spirit 
to  the  desert  which  literally  signifies  forsaken,  when? 
every  means  of  comfort  and  companionship  are  gone, 
where  we  must  learn  to  choose  between  the  ever  pres- 


THE  SPIRITUAL  BIRTH.  157 

ent  but  invisible  things  of  God  and  the  transitory  but 
gratifying  pleasures  of  the  visible  world.     Having  a 

flimpse  of  the  power  and  blessedness  conferred  by  the 
nowledge  of  Truth,  we  are  tempted  to  keep  hold 
of  the  power,  at  the  same  time  fellow  shipping  with  the 
world,  which  by  our  recognition  and  fellowship  will 
be  greatly  pleased  through  the  acquisition  of  our 
society  and  talents. 

"  When  tests  are  required  of  us  similar  to  the  turn- 
ing of  stones  into  bread,  healing  the  lepers,  raising 
the  dead,  will  we  realize  our  dependence  on  the  word 
of  God  which  is  the  'bread  of  life?'  Temptations  to 
dare  the  protection  of  the  power,  give  us  an  insight  to 
the  very  same  trial  of  Jesus,  and  when  we  are  led  up  to 
the  mountain  of  knowledge  from  which  we  may  view 
the  pomps  and  vanities  of  the  world,  realizing  the 
superior  insight  that  gives  power,  then  comes  the 
decisive  question  —  shall  God  or  mammon  gain  our 
allegiance?  Shall  we  forego  the  seductive  allure- 
ments of  mortal  thought  (which  is  really  only  the 
negative  thought  or  the  false  power  called  the  world's 
beliefs  reflected  upon  us),  or  shall  we,  in  ringing  tones 
cry  out,  '  Get  thee  behind  me,  adversary  (or  opposer). 
Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God  and  him  only 
shalt  thou  serve.'  Then  the  enemy  leaves  us,  and 
behold,  angels  come  and  minister  to  us.' 

"  After  the  long  forty  days,  which  with  some  seem 
longer  than  with  others,  after  the  darkness  and  deso- 
lation of  a  desert  night,  we  are  ministered  unto  by  the 
blessed  angels — good  thoughts — and  the  glory  of  the 
Most  High  shines  round  about  us.  The  struggle  is 


158  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

ended,  the  Good  which  is  ever  ready  to  be  our  guide 
when  we  choose,  leads  us  into  many  sweet  experiences 
that  bring  us  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  '  promised  kind,' 
the  true  inheritance  of  God's  children.  We  begin  the 
ascent  of  the  mount  of  transfiguration,  and  though  we 
come  to  many  steep  places,  though  we  sometimes 
stumble  over  rocks  of  ignorance,  though  we  encounter 
clouds  of  doubt  that  veil  the  glorious  peak  from  our 
longing  view  for  a  time,  though  we  meet  wild  beasts, 
(untamed  human  nature),  though  we  cross  shadowy 
valleys  and  dark  ravines,  lighted  only  by  the  torch  of 
faith,  we  shall  have  transcendant  glimpses  of  the  fair 
Beyond,  shall  breathe  the  perfumed  air  of  Zion's  Hills, 
and  be  transported  with  delight  at  the  never  ceasing 
revelations  made  to  the  true  seeker  after  eternal  wis- 
dom. 

"  After  faith,  comes  knowledge.  If  we  wrere  over- 
come by  the  tidal  wave,  when  wading  out  a  little  way 
from  shore,  and  a  rope  were  thrown  us,  we  should  at 
least  catch  hold  the  rope,  hoping  to  be  delivered  from 
the  danger.  After  several  successful  experiences,  we 
should  have  faith  in  the  rope,  so  when  we  feel  the 
tidal  wave  of  trial  overtaking  us,  we  are  to  catch  hold 
of  our  denials  and  affirmations  which  correspond  to 
the  saving  rope.  An  invariable  rule  in  Christian 
Science  is  to  deny  the  undesirable  and  affirm  that 
which  can  be  predicated  of  spirit.  No  matter  what 
inharmony  assails  you,  whether  it  be  pain,  poverty, 
sickness,  loneliness,  fear  or  anxiety,  deny  it  positively 
and  repeatedly  and  affirm  the  opposite.  Like  Jesus, 
we  must  speak  of  that  which  is  true,  but  not  visible. 


THE  SPIRITUAL  BIRTH.  159 

Thus  when  called  to  raise  the  daughter  of  Jairus,  he 
said :  '  She  is  not  dead  but  sleepeth.'  The  appear- 
ance of  death  was  denied,  and  its  opposite,  life, 
affirmed. 

"  "When  talking  to  the  Jews,  Jesus  said  :  4  If  ye 
continue  in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my  disciples  indeed; 
and  ye  shall  know  the  truth  and  the  truth  shall  make 
you  free.'  It  is  continuance  in  the  word  that  brings 
the  blessing,  mark  that. 

"And  now  let  us  enter  into  the  silence  with  one 
accord,  saying  :  '  For  Thy  blessed  words  and  example 
we  thank  Thee,  O,  beloved  Master,  and  with  Thy 
words  we  enter  now  into  Thy  faith.' 

"  An  impressive  ten  minutes,  and  then,  with  rev- 
erent voice  and  gesture,  Mrs.  Pearl  dismissed  us  with 
the  words :  '  It  is  finished.  We  have  received  that 
which  we  asked,  and  are  filled  with  the  peace  that 
passeth  all  understanding. ' 

"  While  we  sat  thus,  just  before  she  spoke,  I  had 
one  of  those  peculiar  experiences  they  tell  about,  coming 
so  often  in  the  silence.  It  seemed  as  though  I  was  in 
the  cool  quiet  of  early  morning,  watching  the  signs  of 
a  summer  dawn.  All  at  once  the  creeping  rainbow 
colors  shot  up  toward  the  zenith,  and  the  most  glorious 
sunrise  I  ever  beheld  flooded  me  with  a  dazzling  glow 
of  gold.  The  moment  she  spoke  it  vanished,  but  oh, 
how  lovely  it  was!  What  could  it  mean  unless  the 
dawn  of  the  'Sun  of  Righteousness?'  I  must  wait 
and  see,  for  surely  the  understanding  of  these  things 
will  come  when  I  am  ready  for  it. 

"  Several  of  the  class  have  been  having  strange  signs 


160  THE  RIGni  KSOCE. 

or  hints  of  something  on  which  they  have  been  studying 
deeply.  Dr.  Bright  said  that  everything  turned  black 
before  her  one  day  when  she  was  denying,  and  when 
she  could  see  again  it  seemed  as  though  there  were  no 
walls  to  the  house  and  she  was  gazing  into  empty 
space.  This  is  on  account  of  denying  till  material 
things  seem  immaterial,  and  we  begin  to  realize  the 
reality  of  spirit. 

"  The  saying  of  the  affirmation  for  strength,  Mrs. 
Dawn  says,  makes  her  body  feel  almost  electrified  with 
vitality,  and  she  can  realize  that  the  words  bring  to  her 
what  they  claim. 

"  One  young  man,  who  sits  just  back  of  me,  told  his 
experience  in  denying  the  reality  of  matter.  He  was 
quite  rebellious  at  first  about  saying  what  seemed  such 
a  huge  lie,  but  finally  concluded  to  do  the  best  he 
could,  and  so  said  it  over  and  over  one  day  till  he  fell 
asleep.  Suddenly  he  was  awakened  by  the  words 
sounding  in  his  ears,  '  Be  not  afraid,  but  trust, '  and 
opening  his  eyes,  he  saw  written  on  the  wall  the  very 
same  words,  and  immediately  a  restfulness  and  satis- 
faction came  over  him,  so  that  he  no  longer  demurred 
at  the  thought  of  saying  the  words  and,  though  he  did 
not  yet  understand,  he  felt  willing  to  wait. 

"  Oh,  how  I  wish  the  great  busy  world  would  listen 
to  this  beautiful  doctrine.  It  seems  that  we  must  com- 
pel it  to  come  to  the  feast.  I  think  we  all  feel  like  a 
child  delightedly  showing  its  new  toy  to  everybodv. 
But  the  little  experience  I  have  had  before,  will  teach 
me  to  withhold  where  there  is  antagonism  to  the 
truth,  beautiful  though  it  is,  because  my  work  at  home 


THE  SPIRITUAL  BIRTH.  161 

even  with  my  cure,  did  not  interest  or  convince  some 
who  would  shut  their  eyes  and  ears  to  all.  I  remem- 
ber so  well  how  I  felt  like  shouting  to  everyone  in  my 
joy  the  glad  story  of  my  recovered  health,  but  the 
cold,  incredulous  looks,  and  the  averted  faces  chilled 
the  tidings  on  my  lips,  and  I  learned  that  only  when 
the  world  is  thirsty,  will  it  appreciate  the  cool  and 
sparkling  waters  of  truth. 

"Well,  dear  John,  I  have  not  answered  your  letter 
at  all  because  I  was  so  afraid  I  would  forget  the  sub- 
stance of  the  lesson  to-day,  but  I  am  so  glad  it  seems 
plain  to  you  as  I  present  it,  and  it  is  such  a  help  to 
know  you  are  glad  I  came  here.  How  we  shall  grow 
together  when  we  begin  together.  Continue  to  write 
your  opin ions  and  ideas  of  the  lessons,  for  you  have 
such  a  clear  way  of  expressing  yourself.  Don't  let 
Jamie  forget  to  write  again  when  you  all  write.  Bless 
his  dear  little  self !  I  would  so  like  to  see  him,  but 
then,  I  know  all  is  well  with  you,  for  Good  is  every- 
where. 

"  Good  night  and  good-bye,  "  MAKION." 


CHAPTER  XX. 

"  But  when  every  leaf  is  dropped  and  the  plant  stands  stripped  to 
the  uttermost,  a  new  life  is  even  then  working  in  the  buds, 
from  which  shall  spring  a  tenderer  foliage  and  a  brighter 
wealth  of  flowers.  So,  often,  in  celestial  gardening,  every  leaf 
of  earthly  joy  must  drop  before  a  new  and  divine  bloom  visits 
the  soul."  —  Harriet  Seedier  Stowe. 

no  letter  came.  All  the  forenoon 
Grace  tried  to  do  her  duty  by  saying  her  denials 
and  affirmations  while  Kate  was  out  giving  lessons,  but 
she  seemed  so  stupid  and  felt  so  cross  that  in  despair  she 
resorted  to  her  painting,  but  only  succeeded  in  spoiling  the 
picture  she  had  spent  hours  and  daysupon  before.  "When 
Kate  came  in  at  the  usual  hour,  feeling  so  gay  and 
light-hearted  that  she  scarcely  knew  how  to  contain  her- 
self, she  was  astonished  to  hear  Grace  say  : 

"  Oh,  I  am  glad  you  have  come  at  last !  Such  a 
day  as  I  have  spent!  Thought  I'd  have  so  much  extra 
time  while  you  were  gone  to  give  Millie's  lesson,  and 
here  I've  wasted  the  whole  afternoon  and  spoiled  my 
1  shipwreck'  besides,  and  I'm  in  a  villainous  humor. 
Now,  I'm  going  to  pour  it  all  out  on  your  innocent 
head."  She  smiled  grimly,  as  she  tossed  her  painting 
apron  aside  and  spitefully  turned  the  picture  to  the  wall. 

"  What  in  the  world  ails  you,  Grace  ? "  cried  the 
astonished  Kate.  "  Have  you  lost  your  senses  ?  I  was 
congratulating  myself  coming  home  on  the  good  time 
we  would  have  again  to-night." 

"I  anticipated  it  so  vividly  this  morning  I  could 

161 


TANGLES  AND  TALKS.  168 

nardly  wait,  but  really,  Kate,  I  feel  ugly,  and  perhaps  it 
would  be  as  well  not  to  talk  to  me.  I  will  go  out  for  a 
little  walk,  while  you  get  the  tea,"  and  she  went  forth- 
with. 

A  tumult  raged  within  her  that  she  had  not  con- 
quered. One  moment  filled  with  the  most  exhilarating 
sense  of  freedom  and  joy,  the  next  the  direst  disgust 
with  herself  and  her  failings ;  one  moment  clearly 
understanding  the  many  problems  that  had  come  up  for 
solution  the  past  week,  and  the  next  with  no  ability  to 
reason  about  anything.  This  had  been  going  on  all 
day.  She  had  even  felt  unreasonably  irritable  because 
Kate  had  so  quickly  overcome  her  prejudices.  What 
right  had  she  to  give  away  her  own  for  some  one  else's 
opinions  so  easily  ? 

Grace  gave  her  glove  an  impatient  twitch  as  she 
thought  of  it,  but  the  next  instant  she  wished  she,  too, 
might  be  as  childlike  and  receptive  as  her  companion. 

To  Kate  the  Bible  was  final,  unquestioned  authority  ; 
to  Grace  it  was  a  corroboration,  not  a  foundation.  It 
was  more  interesting,  she  must  confess,  than  ever 
before,  but  then  she  must  have  better  reasons  than  had 
yet  appeared  for  taking  it  as  Kate  did. 

After  all,  perhaps  this  Science  was  but  another 
mirage  that  bad  come  into  her  moral  vision,  as  many 
another  had  come  in  all  the  years  she  had  been  seeking 
truth  and  happiness.  Happiness !  Had  she  forgotten 
that  for  two  years  that  word  had  been  dropped  from 
her  vocabulary  ?  That  she  had  resolved  to  live  on  the 
best  intellectual  food  the  world  could  offer,  without 
tasting  its  heart  viands  ?  She  walked  on  with  an 


164  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

unwonted  energy.  No,  she  would  not  be  deceived  ;  the 
best  and  sweetest  in  life  was  not  for  her,  but  she  ought 
at  least,  to  help  poor  little  Kate. 

It  was  a  calm,  quiet  evening.  The  sun  was  just 
disappearing  over  the  distant  hills.  The  sky  was 
radiant  with  delicate  pink  and  blue  tints.  She  was 
walking  toward  the  east,  when,  glancing  at  the  scene 
in  front  of  her,  she  saw  what  seemed  to  be  a  brilliant 
fire,  not  only  in  one  place  but  in  many.  Somewhat 
startled,  she  looked  more  closely  and  discovered  every 
window  ablaze  with  the  sun's  reflected  glory.  Like  a 
flash  it  came:  "I  am  walking  away  from  the  glory  of 
Truth.  Oh !  how  shall  I  turn  rny  face  to  God  ? "  she 
cried,  with  unspeakable  yearning. 

An  agony  of  suspense  seized  her.  She  looked  up  at 
the  calm,  beautiful  sky,  and  its  rays  of  radiance  seemed 
to  send  down  upon  her  a  benediction  of  peace.  Like  a 
soft  whisper  the  words,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always," 
fell  upon  her  ear.  Blessed  words  that  filled  her  with 
a  new-born  awe,  but  they  brought  a  realizing  sense  of 
ever-present  nearness  of  Truth,  such  as  she  had  never 
had  before,  and  she  was  so  filled  with  peace  that  all 
the  world  looked  like  a  new  world.  The  turbulent 
waves  of  doubt  and  unrest  had  been  divinely  stilled. 

She  walked  on,  so  filled  with  her  new  thoughts  that 
the  twilight  deepened  into  starlight  before  she  thought 
of  home,  and  then  it  seemed  that  every  star  beam  was 
an  angel  of  love  sent  to  guide  her  on  her  way.  She 
entered  quietly  as  Kate  was  play  ing  one  of  Beethoven's 
symphonies,  and  never  had  music  seemed  so  sweet.  It 
wraa  like  a  welcome  into  heaven.  It  was  the  heaven 
within  her  that  made  a  heaven  without. 


TANGLES  AND  TALKS.  165 

To  Kate  had  come  such  a  realization  of  divine  har- 
mony, that  her  soul  poured  itself  out  in  music  she  had 
never  dreamed  of  before.  All  the  struggles  and  pains 
of  the  past  years,  all  the  disappointments  and  unhappi- 
ness  found  expression  through  the  wailing  tones  of  the 
piano  only  to  be  swept  away  or  swelled  into  sweeter 
and  more  joyous  strains.  More  and  more  clearly  a 
conception  of  joy  and  peace  unspeakable  filled  her 
heart.  She  wandered  again,  a  happy  child,  in  coun- 
try pastures  gathering  violets  and  buttercups.  She 
could  scent  the  clover  and  hear  the  birds.  The  water 
rippled  over  the  pebbles  and  the  air  was  filled  with  leaf 
music.  Now,  again  a  child,  she  "  walked  in  green  pas- 
tures and  beside  the  still  waters."  The  sun  of  love  was 
shining  down  upon  her,  and  its  rays  warmed  her, 
clothed  her,  fed  her.  "  Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall 
follow  me  all  the  days  of  my  life  and  I  will  dwell 
in  the  house  of  the  Lord  forever,"  she  sang  softly  in  an 
awed,  hushed  voice,  as  the  music  grew  more  divinely 
sweet,  and  the  realization  of  a  nameless  Presence  filled 
her.  It  was  the  presence  of  impersonal,  omnipresent 
Truth,  ever  flowing  into  the  heart  ready  for  its  recep- 
tion, and  though  at  first  it  may  be  but  a  tiny  stream, 
it  grows  to  a  swelling  tide,  and  all  the  words  in  the 
universe  can  not  name  its  sweet  influence,  or  describe 
its  wondrous  allness. 

Oh,  Katie  darling,  what  wouldst  thou  have  put 
away  from  thy  life,  if  thou  hadst  obstinately  refused 
admittance  to  this  heavenly  Guest  ?  ...  At  last  the 
music  ceased.  She  bowed  her  head  and  gave  herself 
up  to  the  inexpressible  thoughts  that  welled  into  her 


166  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

mind.  For  some  moments  she  was  not  aware  that 
Grace  was  in  the  room,  but  as  she  finally  arose  and 
turned  around,  she  saw  her.  Their  eyes  met,  and 
silently  was  told  the  story  of  experiences  too  sacred  to 
utter  A  silent  understanding  and  a  heartfelt  sympathy 
bound  them  by  closer  ties  than  they  had  ever  known 
before.  To  be  at  one-  with  Truth  is  to  understand 
humanity,  and  understanding  is  a  voiceless  language. 

Sunday  afternoon  they  called  on  Mr.  Hayden  and 
found  the  fourth  letter  awaiting  them. 

"I  did  not  send  it  up  because  Kate  promised  you 
would  come  over  to-day,  and  now  let  us  have  a  little 
experience  meeting,"  he  said,  as  he  found  chairs  for 
them,  and  seated  himself,  seemingly  awaiting  a  reply. 

"First  let  us  read  the  letter,"  suggested  Grace,  who 
was  more  interested  than  ever  since  her  yesterday's 
experience. 

"Read  it  aloud,"  said  Mr.  Hay  den,  settling  himself 
back  to  enjoy  it. 

Grace  had  scarcely  begun  reading  when  Jamie 
came  in,  screaming  that  his  finger  was  "  boke." 

"Never  mind,  Jamie,  it  will  soon  be  all  right. 
Shall  papa  treat  it?"  taking  the  child  in  his  lap. 

"  Teat  it,  papa,"  and  he  laid  his  little  head  on  papa's 
breast  with  perfect  confidence  that  the  pain  would  soon 
be  gone.  A  few  moments  of  silence  and  he  looked  up 
innocently,  saying  with  the  brightest  smile: 

"It's  all  gone  now.  Papa  telled  the  good  Jamie  to 
tome  home,"  he  explained  to  the  girls,  "  and  here  he  is, 
papa,"  he  added,  holding  up  his  sweet  mouth  for  a 
kiss. 


TANGLES  AND  TALKS.  167 

"  How  beautiful  is  a  child's  faith,"  exclaimed  Kate, 
after  the  little  fellow  had  gone  out  to  play  again. 

"  Indeed  I  have  learned  more  than  I  can  tell  you 
from  the  children,"  said  Mr.  Hayden,  thoughtfully. 
"  Mabel  is  old  enough  to  understand  a  good  deal,  but 
Fred  and  Jamie  are  very  quick  to  apply  what  they 
learn.  Last  night  Jamie  complained  of  the  stomach 
ache.  Neither  of  the  children  knew  that  I  was  near, 
but  I  overheard  Fred  telling  his  brother  that  he  would 
treat  him  if  he  would  keep  still.  Jamie  consented  and 
I  peeped  in  a  moment  later,  curious  to  know  what  they 
were  doing.  Fred  sat  there  grave  as  an  owl,  with  his 
hands  over  his  eyes,  and  Jamie  in  a  chair  opposite,  his 
eyes  shut  tightly  and  an  air  of  expectancy  on  his  face." 

"  Now  you're  all  right,"  said  Fred,  very  positively, 
after  a  few  minutes.  They  were  soon  playing  and  not 
once  did  the  child  complain  after  that.  When  going 
to  bed,  Jamie  told  me  about  it,  and  I  asked  Fred  what 
he  did  when  he  treated. 

"W'y,"  he  answered,  "w'y,  I  just  'membered 
what  you  said  to  Mabel  that  everybody  has  two  kinds 
o'  thoughts,  and  one  kind  thinks  you're  sick,  and 
the  other  kind  knows  you're  well,  so  I  thinked  about 
Jamie  till  I  thinked  the  know  thoughts,  and  course  he 
got  well  then." 

"  It  was  a  lesson  to  me,  and  I  have  tried  to  emulate 
their  receptiveness  and  childlike  trust.  I  don't  know 
how  well  I  am  succeeding,  but  it  is  pretty  hard  some- 
times to  get  the  problems  all  worked  out." 

"  We  wouldn't  have  to  work  them  out  if  we  had 
the  faith  of  a  child,"  said  Kate,  warmly.  These  little 
incidents  touched  her  deeply. 


168  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK 

"  "Well,  there  is  nothing  better  to  learn  from  than 
living  examples,  and  yet  we  can  only  take  them  as 
guides,  they  will  not  do  our  work  for  us.  Every  one 
of  us  must  go  through  his  own  experience,  and  prove 
his  right  to  an  inheritance,  by  claiming  it  on  trust  as 
the  child  does.  Now,  yesterday,"  continued  Mr.  Hay- 
den,  leaning  back  and  stroking  his  chin,  "  I  worked 
hard  all  the  forenoon,  and  everything  seemed  to  go 
wrong  with  me,"  —  Grace  glanced  at  Kate  —  "  I  was 
not  willing  to  live  a  moment  at  a  time,  as  the  child 
does,  with  no  thought  or  care  as  to  where  its  next  day's 
supplies  are  to  come  from,  but  I  was  tired  and  cross  all 
day.  The  consequence  was,  in  the  afternoon  my  old 
enemy,  the  headache,  began  to  assert  itself.  Then  I 
got  Marion's  letter  and  that  helped  me,  because  it 
threw  some  light  on  the  cause,  but  when  I  heard  Fred's 
explanation  of  a  treatment  I  just  applied  it.  I '  thinked,' 
till  the  'know  thoughts  came,'"  Mr.  Hayden  con- 
cluded with  a  grave  smile. 

"  I  believe  that  is  what  it  means  to  '  work  out  our 
own  salvation,' "  said  Grace,  "  and  how  beautiful  to 
have  the  children  learn  !  It  will  make  different  men 
and  women  of  them." 

"  Indeed  it  will;  I  have  already  seen  some  change 
in  the  children.  But  are  you  not  going  to  read  the 
letter,  Miss  Grace  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Hayden. 

"  Yes,  I  am  anxious  to  read  it,  but  I  have  learned  a 
great  deal  without  it." 

She  took  it  up  again  and  read  without  interruption 
to  the  end. 

"  Well,  that  is  quite  an  explanation  of  your  experi- 


TANGLES  AND  TALKS.  169 

ence    of    yesterday,   Mr.    Hayden,"   explained    Kate 
smilingly. 

"  And  mine,  too,"  added  Grace.  "  It  is  comforting 
to  know  that  there  is  a  scientific  reason  for  it  though." 

"  I  think  my  darkness  came  earlier  in  the  lessons, 
for  yesterday  and  to-day  have  been  very  bright  to  me," 
replied  Kate,  soberly  ;  "  but,"  she  continued,  "  there  is 
so  much  about  this  to  admire  and  so  much  to  prove 
that  the  system  is  founded  on  Christ's  teachings,  I  can 
not  see  where  doubt  could  enter." 

"We  might  not  doubt  the  principle  where  we 
would  often  doubt  ourselves,"  suggested  Mr.  Hayden. 

"  Yes,"  said  Grace,  "  I  believe  that  doubts  will 
come  as  long  as  we  consider  it  a  personal  power." 

"  Which  it  is  not,  of  course,"  interrupted  Kate. 

"  Certainly  not,  but  we  must  grow  into  a  realization 
of  Truth,  we  can  not  change  our  old  natures  in  a  day, 
and  it  is  only  natural  at  first  to  feel  that  it  is  a  personal 
power  because  we  are  given  so  much  personal 
responsibility." 

"  I  see  what  you  mean,"  said  Mr.  Hayden,  quietly, 
leaning  back  as  if  thinking  deeply.  "  You  mean  it  is 
hard  to  forget  self,  and  I  agree  with  you.  This  mind  of 
the  flesh  claims  so  much  wisdom  and  power  of  its  own 
that  it  is  hard  to  attribute  everything  to  a  higher 
power,  and  let  that  power  work  through  you  ;  but 
when  we  can  do  that,  we  have  the  kernel  of  the  whole 
system." 

"  It  is  a  wonderful  thought  to  me,  that  we  reflect 
all  things  spiritual,  as  we  divest  ourselves  of  our  false 
beliefs,"  remarked  Grace,  earnestly. 


no  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"In  other  words,  when  we  know  ourselves  as  we 
are,  and  not  as  we  appear,  we  shall  recognize  that  all 
things  we  desire  are  already  ours,"  added  Mr.  Hayden. 

"  How  could  it  be  otherwise  ?  The  sun  is  always 
shining  behind  the  darkest  clouds.  All  I  ask  is  that 
the  ignorance  may  be  removed,"  replied  Grace. 

"  Well,  I  want  to  understand  and  believe  truth, 
but  it  seems  strange,  after  we  have  declared  our 
willingness  to  believe  and  acknowledge  God  to  be  all, 
that  we  should  be  tempted.  Why  couldn't  our  acknowl- 
edgement be  sufficient  ? "  queried  Kate,  in  perplexity 
again. 

"  Why  isn't  the  simple  act  of  joining  the  church 
sufficient  to  make  Christians  ?  Although  some  seem 
to  think  it  all  sufficient,  it  is  not.  It  is  the  daily  life 
of  overcoming,  and  denial  of  self  that  constitutes  true 
acknowledgement,"  said  Grace,  laying  her  hand  upon 
that  of  her  friend. 

"  Not  denial  of  self  in  the  old  way,  either,"  said  Mr. 
Hayden,  "  but  denial  of  the  mortal  thought,  or  as  Paul 
would  say,  the  '  carnal  mind.' " 

"  Yes,  and  in  the  temptation  of  Jesus,  we  read  our 
own  temptations,"  interrupted  Grace,  "and  it  is  all  im- 
portant that  we  should  deal  with  them  as  he  did.  Over 
and  over  he  met  the  opposing  thought,  represented  by 
the  tempter  or  opposer — error  always  opposing  truth — 
and  gave  it  either  a  plain  denial  or  an  emphatic  com- 
mand to  get  out." 

"That  is  very  plain  and  very  true,"  said  Kate,  with 
a  little  sigh,  "  but  still  I  can  not  see  why  God  should 
allow  us  to  be  tempted  after  we  have  fought  the  battle 
once  as  Jesus  did." 


TANGLES  AND  TALKS.  171 

"But  he  fought  it  more  than  once,"  explained  Mr. 
Hayden,  earnestly  "He  was  continually  overcoming, 
and  at  times  found  it  necessary  to  withdraw  into  the 
mountains  where  he  fasted  and  prayed." 

"  That  is  a  good  thought  to  carry  home/'  suggested 
Grace,  rising,  "  for  we  need  to  follow  his  example." 

"  I  need  it  more  than  anyone  else,"  said  Kate,  feel- 
ing a  lack  of  spritual  understanding,  and  wishing  she 
could  get  on  faster. 

"  You  are  doing  grandly  Miss  Kate,  just  think  how 
you  opposed  it  all  at  first."  said  Mr.  Hayden  encour- 
agingly. 

"Yes,  I  know  I  did,"  flushing  a  little,  "but  even 
thus  far  I  have  seen  enough,  or  rather  experienced 
enough  to  make  me  anxious  to  understand  it,  and  I 
only  ask  so  many  questions  because  I  am  determined  to 
get  every  speck  of  light  I  can." 

"  If  everybody  would  lay  aside  prejudice  as  you  have, 
Miss  Kate,  they  would  have  no  difficulty  in  seeing  the 
truth  as  you  do,"  he  replied. 

The  tears  came  into  her  eyes.  Neither  Mr.  Hayden 
nor  Grace  knew  how  much  it  had  cost  her  to  '  lay  aside 
prejudice,'  but  she  could  thank  God  that  she  had  done 
so,  and  indeed  believed  it  was  Providence  that  had  led 
her  into  this  study  in  spite  of  herself. 

"I  want  the  truth,"  she  said  simply,  and  turned 
away  to  join  Grace,  who  stood  at  the  open  door  wait- 
ins:  for  her. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

People  imagine  that  the  place  which  the  Bible  holds  in  the  world 
it  owes  to  miracles.  It  owes  it  simply  to  the  fact  that  it  came 
out  of  a  profounder  depth  of  thought  than  any  other  book." — 
Emerson. 

"  MARLOW,  September . 

|EAR  HUSBAND:  The  first  thing  I  heard 
when  I  went  into  the  class  to-day  was  Mrs. 
Dawn  telling  how  she  had  treated  a  severe  belief  of 
headache  last  evening  and  how  marvelously  soon  the 
terrible  pain  ceased.  She  was  quite  rejoiced  because 
it  was  the  first  time  she  had  tried  to  demonstrate  the 
principles. 

"  They  all  have  plenty  to  tell  now,  and  are  growing 
more  and  more  interested.  Every  day  somebody  lias 
some  new  experience.  Little  Mrs.  Dexter,  who  lias 
been-  so  long  treated  by  the  old  method,  says  she  fully 
believes  she  will  be  cured,  is  feeling  much  better,  and 
has  such  an  assurance  all  the  time  that  she  has  found 
the  true  healing.  She  has  had  several  quite  remarkable 
demonstrations  with  others. 

"The  whole  line  of  argument  is  unfolding  so 
naturally  and  beautifully  that  it  seems  like  a  piece  of 
fine  mosaic,  with  every  form  and  color  interwoven  with 
the  most  exquisite  exactness.  Mrs.  Pearl  gave  us  a 
lecture  on  inspiration  and  the  Bible,  which  I  consider 
one  of  the  most  useful  and  interesting  of  any  she  has 
yet  given : 

m 


INSPIRATION  AND  THE  BIBLE.  173 

"  In  studying  the  very  fountain  springs  of  Truth, 
and  basing  our  ideas  upon  a  God  who  is  the  unex- 
pressed and  inexpressible  essence  of  Truth  itself,  with 
whom  is  'no  respect  of  persons,'  and  to  whom  we  owe 
all  knowledge,  it  becomes  us  to  inquire  a  little  into  the 
manner  and  means  of  gaining  that  knowledge. 

"  That  all  peoples  in  all  climes  and  ages  have  devel- 
oped similar  ideas  and  expressed  them  in  like  terms,  as 
philology  shows,  is  an  indisputable  fact,  strengthened 
and  corroborated  by  our  broader  conception  and  higher 
understanding  of  God,  the  omnipresent  Good. 

"  But  how  have  these  ideas  come  to  them  ?  Have 
they  come  through  what  is  known  as  inspiration  or 
revelation?  As  the  one  fountain  of  Intelligence  is 
open  to  all  alike,  this  must  be  the  case,  because  Truth 
comes  only  in  this  way.  Inspiration  means  an  'inbreath- 
ing,' a  breathing  in  of  true  knowledge,  and  because  the 
omnipresent  Good  comes  into  every  consciousness 
prepared  to  receive  it,  there  is  an  inbreathing  in 
accordance  with  the  readiness  to  receive.  Intelligence 
is  like  the  air,  to  be  breathed  by  every  living  being. 
Thus  far,  humanity  has  expanded  its  lungs  of  conscious- 
ness only  enough  to  have  inhaled  fundamental  truth, 
or  what  is  recognized  as  such,  but  we  are  constantly 
receiving  more,  and  in  proportion  as  we  receive,  do  we 
know  what  we  receive. 

"All  truth  is  inspired  or  revealed,  because  whatever 
is  true  is  of  the  great  Truth.  This  must  be  so,  yet 
many  people  consider  inspiration  as  confined  to  the 
authors  of  the  Bible  and  that  with  them,  inspiration 
ceased.  The  immortal  Job  said,  '  There  is  a  spirit  in 


774  1BE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

man  and  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty  giveth  him 
understanding.'  The  inbreathing  of  the  Almighty,  All- 
powerful  Truth,  giveth  understanding.  No  truer  words 
were  ever  uttered. 

"As  inspiration  is  inhaling  or  breathing  in  Truth, 
we  can  readily  understand  that  '  God,  Truth,  Principle, 
is  no  respecter  of  persons.'  That  it  is  a  'miraculous 
influence  which  qualities  man  to  receive  and  communi- 
cate divine  truth,' is  in  a  sense  true,  for  the  works  of 
God  are  always  '  wonderful,'  but  there  can  be  no  set- 
ting aside  of  divine  law,  as  some  erroneous!}7  suppose, 
for  the  performance  of  these  things  that  seem  unac- 
countable to  human  reason.  It  is  a  lack  of  understand- 
ing as  to  how  Truth  works,  that  has  caused  a  belief  in 
supernatural  or  miraculous  ways.  Could  a  fish  judge 
according  to  appearances,  he  would  regard  the  creat- 
ures that  walk  on  land  as  gifted  with  supernatural 
power,  because  it  would  be  utterly  beyond  his  concep- 
tion to  know  how  they  could  do  so. 

"Revelation  and  inspiration  are  frequently  used 
interchangeably,  but  that  which  is  revealed,  is  the  man- 
ifested result  of  inspiration  rather  than  inspiration 
itself.  Whenever  we  are  ready  to  bieathe  or  absorb 
Truth  into  our  consciousness,  we  get  a  reveal  incut 
— 'inspiration  giveth  understanding.'  This  brcathing- 
in  process  lifts  .us  above  ordinary  knowledge  and  gives 
refresh  ing  glimpses  of  heavenly  Truth,  it  is  like  breath- 
ing in  fresh  air,  after  having  been  in  a  close  suffocating 
room.  We  say  this  or  that  scene,  person  or  object 
inspires  us;  we  mean  that  some  beautiful  thought  or 
conception  of  Truth  is  revealed  to  us,  through  or  by 


INSPIRATION  AND  THE  BIBLE.  175 

our  seeing  these  objects,  because  they  hint  of  some- 
thing better  and  higher,  and  the  moment  we  get  the 
higher  thought,  we  are  conscious  of  knowing  higher 
Truth.  This  is  revelation. 

"  Revelation  and  inspiration  are  the  usual  terms  for 
expressing  spiritual  processes  but  are  necessarily  inade- 
quate to  express  accurate  spiritual  meanings.  How  ideas 
are  born  is  a  question  of  questions.  Whether  they  come 
from  without  or  within,  they  must  establish  the  oneness 
of  God  and  man  in  mind  and  idea.  The  only  '  without' 
there  can  be  is  that  which  is  without  the  consciousness, 
the  only  'within'  is  that  which  is  within  the  conscious- 
ness. Development,  growth,  unfoldment,  better 
express  spiritual  consciousness.  What  is  conscious- 
ness but  a  recognition  of  itself?  Then  would  not 
'  recognition  'more  fully  describe  the  birth  of  ideas  ?  As 
we  grow  able  to  recognize  harmony  and  love,  harmony 
and  love  are  revealed  to  us. 

"The  more  spiritual  our  thoughts  and  desires,  the 
more  spiritual  our  revelations.  To  think  and  talk 
of  God,  to  desire  knowledge  of  Him,  creates  a  re- 
ceptivity which  sooner  or  later  brings  the  revealment 
of  more  truth,  and  that  of  the  highest  quality.  But  it 
is  not  always  by  what  we  see  that  we  are  lifted  into 
this  consciousness  of  new  knowledge.  In  various  ways 
is  the  Truth  expressed  to  us,  and  whether  we  know  how 
or  why  it  should  be  thus  and  so,  matters  not  if  we  re- 
ceive the  message. 

"  The  wisdom  of  our  Father  has  provided  that  none 
of  His  children  should  be  without  a  knowledge  of  Him, 
without  a  power  to  recognize  and  appreciate  Truth, 


176  TEE  RIGUT  KNOCK. 

and  in  the  way  or  language  best  suited  to  the  capacity 
of  each  to  understand,  are  the  revelations  made. 
Sometimes  this  knowledge  comes  into  our  conscious- 
ness like  a  direct  message  from  God,  and  so  vividly  are 
we  impressed,  that  no  other  words  could  express  the 
nearness  and  clearness  of  it,  than  the  expression  '  walk- 
ing and  talking  with  God.'  Sometimes  wonderful 
pictures  appear  before  our  mind's  eye,  and  reading 
their  symbolic  meaning,  we  catch  hints  of  higher  wis- 
dom that  would  otherwise  have  been  hidden. 

"By  persistently  ignoring  the  spiritual  and  cultivat- 
ing the  intellectual  faculties,  mankind  has  well  nigh 
lost  the  highest  means  of  inspiration,  but  now  that  we 
again,  like  the  prophets  and  apostles  of  old,  seek  for 
signs  of  the  Infinite,  we  are  gradually  recovering  the 
key  by  which  they  unlocked  its  mysteries. 

"As  to  the  infallibility  of  what  is  thus  revealed,  we 
must  remember  that  while  truth  is  always  infallible, 
there  is  a  possibility  of  its  recognition  or  conception 
being  tinged  to  a  greater  or  less  degree,  with  our  erro- 
neous judgements,  and  as  the  light,  pure  in  itself,  is 
colored  by  the  glass  through  which  it  passes,  so  is  the 
divinest  truth  colored  with  the  quality  of  mind  through 
which  it  comes  to  the  world.  As  Heber  Newton  says, 
*  Inspiration  can  not  do  away  with  the  limitations  of 
the  human  individuality.'  Thus,  in  our  discrimination 
of  so-called  inspired  literature,  language  or  thoughts, 
we  must  learn  that  whatever  is  opposite  God,  the  uni- 
versal idea  of  goodness,  is  the  chaff  that  must  be  blown 
a  way.  In  other  words  it  is  the  assumption  of  mortal 
thought  instead  of  absolute  knowledge  of  divine  mind. 


INSPIRATION  AND  THE  BIBLE.  177 

"It  would  be  an  utter  impossibility  to  describe  infi- 
nite truth  in  finite  language.  Words  are  inadequate 
to  express  the  grandeur  of  sacred  revelation. 

"With  this  view  of  inspiration,  we  can  readily 
see  how  far  short  we  have  come  in  our  concep- 
tions of  the  Bible,  and  now  that  we  are  to  use  and 
understand  this  wonderful  book  as  never  before,  it  is 
well  that  we  consider  it  a  little  more  closely. 

"  There  are  three  general  views  held  in  regard  to 
the  Bible  as  an  inspired  book.  1.  That  it  is  verbally 
inspired;  i.  e.,  that  every  word  is  direct  from  God. 
2.  That  it  is  partially  inspired ;  and,  3.  That  it  is  no 
more  inspired  than  any  other  good  book.  The  first 
two  of  these  views  have  been  and  are  accompanied  with 
the  idea  that  everything  going  under  the  name  of 
inspiration,  is  infallible,  hence  the  idea  that  every  state- 
ment made  throughout  the  entire  book  is  absolute 
truth. 

"The  Bible  itself  makes  no  claim  to  infallibility, 
though  there  are  frequent  references  to  inspiration  and 
the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  moving  men  to 
speak,  but  the  principal  text  on  which  is  based  this 
claim  of  infallibility  is  II.  Tim.  iii :  10.  At  the  time  this 
was  written,  there  was  only  the  Old  Testament,  includ- 
ing the  Apocrypha,  that  could  be  referred  to  as  Script- 
ure, so  when  we  read  Paul's  assertion  that,  '  all  script- 
ure is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for 
doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction 
in  righteousness,'  if  we  take  it  to  be  infallible,  we 
have  a  reasonable  ground  for  regarding  the  Old  Testa- 
ment and  the  Apocrypha  as  infallible.  But  a  more 


178  TIII-:  mi  ;nr  /r.vor/r. 

literal  rendering  of  the  Greek  text  would  be,  'all  script- 
ure divinely  inspired  is  indeed  profitable  for  teaching, 
for  conviction,  for  correction,'  etc.,  and  by  simply  chang- 
ing the  position  of  the  little  word  is,  we  have  a  vastly 
different  sentence. 

"  Regarding  the  interpretation  of  scripture,  Peter 
says :  '  All  prophecy  of  scripture  is  not  of  its  own  solu- 
tion.' The  literal  Greek  is,  'all  prophecy  of  a  writing, 
of  its  own  loosing  not  it  is,'  meaning,  of  course,  that 
sacred  writings  can  not  always  be  interpreted  literal- 
ly, but  must  be  understood  according  to  their  spiritual 
meaning.  Great  writings  are  not  confined  to  any  pri- 
vate or  local  meaning,  but  refer  more  especially  to 
great  principles,  to  universal  truth. 

"  If  we  consider  the  origin  of  the  Bible,  we  shall 
learn  what  comparatively  few  of  us  know,  viz.,  how  the 
Bible  grew  into  a  book.  In  a  necessarily  brief  outline 
it  is  impossible  to  give  anything  but  a  bird's-eye  view 
of  this  very  interesting  and  important  subject. 

"  As  we  look  back  to  earlier  times,  through  the  var- 
ious channels,  we  find  that  much  of  what  is  considered 
history  is  merely  legendary  ;  that  long  before  the  art  of 
writing  was  known,  these  legends  and  myths  were 
handed  down  from  generation  to  generation,  and  from 
age  to  age.  Familiar  as  we  are  with  human  nature, 
we  may  well  imagine  the  additions  and  subtractions 
and  divergencies  introduced  by  each  succeeding  nar- 
rator, copyist  or  editor  in  every  age.  This  is  a  very 
important  feature  to  be  considered  in  interpreting 
ancient  scriptures,  but  there  are  also  others.  History 
reveals  the  fact  that  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament 


INSPIRATION  AND  THE  BIBLE.  179 

were  not  written  nor  arranged  in  the  order  in  which 
they  now  appear  in  the  Bible.  For  instance,  while  it 
has  been  generally  considered  that  the  first  five  books 
were  written  by  Moses  fifteen  hundred  years  before 
Christ,  the  best  authorities  have  found  at  least  a  por- 
tion of  them  to  have  been  written,  or  compiled  rather, 
in  their  present  form  600  to  TOO  B.  C. 

"  Whether  Moses  or  some  one  else  wrote  them 
detracts  not  the  least  from  the  value  of  the  truth  they 
contain,  for  whatever  is  true,  can  not  lose  its  value  or 
be  effected  by  the  authorship.  This  is  only  one  of  the 
many  facts  that  might  be  produced  to  show  that  the 
Old  Testament  came  in  the  most  natural  way,  and  not 
at  all  through  a  miracle  or  by  miraculous  interposition. 

"  Referring  again  to  the  best  records  we  have,  we 
find  the  books  of  the  New  Testament  were  written 
from  50  to  175  A.  D.,  thus  showing  the  liability  to 
mistakes,  and  the  reason  for  many  of  the  discrepen- 
cies  in  the  New  Testament.  That  the  time  between 
the  writing  of  the  oldest  and  the  latest  parts  of  the 
Bible  covered  a  period  of  more  than  a  thousand  years, 
should  have  much  significance  in  our  judgment  of  both 
the  writers  and  their  writings. 

"  Dr.  Ileber  Newton  says  :  '  We  are  not  to  read 
the  Biblical  writers  as  though  they  were  all  cotempo- 
raries.  They  are  separated  by  vast  tracts  of  time.  The 
later  writers  stand  upon  the  shoulders  of  their  prede- 
cessors and  see  farther  and  clearer.  We  are  not  to 
view  the  institutions  or  doctrines  of  the  Bible  as  though 
no  matter  in  what  period  of  development  of  the  Hebrew 
Nation,  or  of  the  Christian  Church  they  were  found, 
they  were  equally  authoritative  to  us.' 


180  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK 

"  Though  the  prophets  and  apostles  were  inspired, 
we  must  remember  that  they  necessarily  had  to  use  the 
language  and  methods  of  speech  prevalent  in  their 
time  in  giving  their  divinest  revelations  to  the  people. 
The  language  was  rich  with  Oriental  imagery,  strong 
figures  of  speech,  and  allusions  to  manners  and  customs 
of  other  nations.  Unless  we  understand  something  of 
the  literature  and  customs,  the  religious  ceremonies 
and  laws  alluded  to,  we  are  very  much  in  the  dark  as 
to  the  original  meaning. 

"  For  instance,  unless  we  know  the  custom  that 
prevailed  in  ancient  times  of  putting  the  sins  of  the 
people,  figuratively  speaking,  into  a  white  cloth,  dip- 
ping the  cloth  into  blood,  tying  it  to  the  horns  of  the 
scapegoat,  and  turning  the  animal  loose  in  the  wilder- 
ness till  the  sun,  air  and  rain  had  bleached  it  white, 
we  can  not  appreciate  the  expression,  '  though  thy  sins 
be  as  scarlet,  yet  shall  they  be  washed  white  as  snow.' 
Until  we  realize  that  the  ideas  and  language  as  well  as 
the  customs  and  rites  of  barbarous  and  ignorant 
heathendom  influence  every  page  of  the  Bible,  we  shall 
not  know  how  much  allowance  to  make  for  the  revela- 
tions of  the  Divine,  and  the  suppositions  and  possible 
mistakes  of  the  human.  Until  we  know  that  the  Bible 
has  gone  through  many  hands  since  its  words  were 
first  spoken  or  written,  we  can  not  realize  the  possible 
loss  of  its  most  spiritual  meanings. 

"Moses,  Isaiah,  David,  John,  Paul  had  the  grandest 
revelations  possible  to  man,  experiences  not  'lawful  to 
utter,'  not  possible  to  clothe  in  words.  The  unspeakable 
can  not  be  put  into  speech.  To  attempt  it  is  to  color  it 


INSPIRATION  AND  THE  BIBLE.  181 

with  finite  meanings.  To  describe  the  Infinite  is  but  to 
limit  or  confine  God. 

"  When  we  consider  that  no  very  ancient  writings 
have  reached  us  without  the  marks  of  many  pens;  when 
we  consider  the  impossibility  of  exact  translation,  the 
difficulty  of  perfect  copying  all  the  years  before  the  art 
of  printing,  the  method  of  canonizing  the  books  and 
formulating  creeds,  we  must  know  that  something 
besides  God's  message  has  come  down  to  us.  And  yet 
a  message  is  there  notwithstanding. 

"  Yes,  the  authors  of  the  Bible  were  inspired. 
AV^hatever  of  Truth  they  revealed  is  infallible,  but  as 
men  with  finite  conceptions  and  abilities,  they  could 
not  comprehend  nor  reveal  all  of  God. 

"'  God  is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day  and  forever,' 
and  talks  to  man  face  to  face  to-day  even  as  with 
the  immortal  Moses. 

"  '  I  know  that  the  Bible  is  inspired,  because  it  finds 
me  at  greater  depths  of  my  being  than  any  other 
book,'  said  Coleridge. 

"  All  candid  students  of  sacred  Scriptures  agree 
that  there  is  a  spiritual  meaning  back  of  the  literal. 
The  question  with  us  is,  how  can  we  get  at  this  spiritual 
or  esoteric  interpretation. 

"  If  you  will  let  the  spirit  of  Truth  guide  you,  it 
will  bless  you  with  keener  discernment,  and  clearer 
understanding,  than  has  been  possible  for  you  heretofore. 
It  is  when  you  look  for  the  spirit  of  religion  that  you  find 
it  and  understand  it,  and  the  fact  that  so  much  has 
been  said  against  our  Bible  as  a  book,  does  not  and 
can  not  detract  a  particle  from  its  value. 


;.sv  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

'  There  is  a  light  that  lighteth  every  man  ! '  Every 
one  of  God's  children  has  the  power  to  distinguish  truth 
from  error,  and  only  needs  to  assert  that  divine  privi- 
lege of  knowing  and  acknowledging  truth  in  order  to 
to  find  it. 

"  Humanity  is  so  under  the  yoke  of  traditional  opin- 
ions that  it  has  not  dared  think  for  itself,  but  the  time  has 
come  when  'ye  shall  of  yourselves  know  what  is  truth,' 
when  each  must  prove  his  individual  liberty  by  claim- 
ing it.  Is  not  the  wisdom  to  know  and  understand 
God's  revelations  given  to  every  one  who  asks,  or  rather 
appreciates  what  he  already  has  ? 

"  There  is  no  reason  for  depending  upon  any  but 
the  wisdom  in  ourselves,  for  searching  the  meanings  of 
any  Scripture.  Whatever  is  true,  we  shall  understand 
and  hold  as  infallible.  That  we  have  a  rich  storehouse 
of  precious  gems,  even  the  most  adverse  thinkers 
admit,  and  above  all  else  wre  should  search  for  them, 
prize  them,  and  use  them.  Study  the  Bible  for  the  sake 
of  its  wonderful  and  sacred  truth,  catch  the  inspiration 
of  its  writers,  and  you  will  soon  discriminate  the 
inspired  from  the  uninspired.  With  the  statements  of 
the  true  is  necessarily  more  or  less  error ;  the  Truth 
we  want,  the  falsity  we  leave  behind.  Whatever  is 
good  and  pure  and  ennobling  is  of  God  ;  whatever  is 
evil,  erroneous,  degrading,  is  from  man's  misconception 
of  Him. 

"  Goethe,  who  highly  valued  the  Bible,  said  :  'With 
reference  to  things  in  the  Bible,  the  question  whether 
they  are  genuine  or  spurious  is  odd  enough.  What  is 
genuine  but  that  which  is  truly  excellent,  which  stands 


INSPIRATION  AND  THE  BIBLE.  183 

in  harmony  with  the  purest  nature  and  reason,  and  which 
even  now  ministers  to  our  higher  development  ?  What 
is  spurious  but  the  absurd  and  the  hollow  which  brings 
no  fruit.' 

"If  you  do  not  understand,  wait.  Do  not  judge 
hastily  or  allow  yourself  to  be  biased  by  the  opinions  of 
others.  What  may  seem  hard,  unreasonable  dogma, 
may  later  prove  but  a  veil  over  the  sweetest,  spiritual 
truth.  Reverence  to  read,  patience  to  learn,  wisdom  to 
understand  —  all  these  we  '  want,  and  then,  more 
brightly  than  before  shall  shine  the  sacred  diamonds 
that  stud  inspired  pages. 

"  We  refer  again  to  what  Dr.  Newton  says  in  his 
grand  essay  on  the  Eight  Critical  use  of  the  Bible:  *  Suc- 
cessive generations  of  men,  struggling  with  sin,  striv- 
ing for  purity,  searching  after  God,  have  exhaled  their 
spirits  into  the  essence  of  religion,  which  is  treasured 
in  this  costly  vase. 

"  '  The  moral  forces  of  centuries  devoted  to  righteous- 
ness are  stored  in  this  exhaustless  reservoir  of  ethical 
energy.  At  such  cost,  my  brothers,  has  Humanity 
issued  this  sacred  book.  From  such  patience  of  prepa- 
ration has  Providence  laid  this  priceless  gift  before  you. 
In  such  labor  of  articulation  —  spelling  out  the  sylla- 
bles of  the  message  from  on  high,  through  multitudi- 
nous lives  of  men  dutifully  and  devoutly  walking  with 
their  God,  does  the  Spirit  speak  to  you,  O,  soul  of  man. 
Say  thou :  '  Speak,  Lord  ;  thy  servant  heareth  ! '" 
*****  * 

"  Thank  God,  Marion  has  at  last  found  the  key  to 
the  Bible,"  murmured  Mr.  Ilayden,  as  he  finished  the 
letter. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

"  Not  in  Jerusalem  alone, 

God  hears  and  answers  prayer, 
Nor  on  Samaria's  mountain  lone, 

Dispenses  blessings  there. 
But  in  the  secrecy  of  thought, 

Our  silent  souls  may  pray; 
Or  round  the  household  altar  brought, 

Begin  and  close  the  day." 

— James  Montgomery. 

RACE  was  busily  engaged  with  "  lly patia."  She 
felt  for  the  first  time  she  could  bring  out  the  peace 
and  reposeful  strength  of  character  Kate  had  thought  so 
sadly  lacking,  and  one  afternoon,  a  few  days  after  the 
memorable  walk,  she  sat  down  to  her  work  with  a 
pleasurable  anticipation  of  bringing  out  her  ideal.  As 
she  put  the  touches  here  and  there  that  changed  the 
expression,  now  adding  to  this  feature,  now  taking  from 
that,  she  was  thinking  of  the  changes  needed  in  herself, 
and  wondering  how  or  by  what  process  they  would  be 
wrought  by  the  invisible  Artist. 

She  was  mixing  some  paint  on  her  palette,  when 
a  rap  was  heard  at  the  door.  Before  she  had  time  to 
say  or  do  anything,  in  walked  Mrs.  Dyke  with  a  timid 
little  woman  who  came  in  like  a  martyr,  but  one  re- 
solved to  die  at  her  post  if  necessary.  Grace  was  too 
astonished  to  speak  for  an  instant,  then  rising,  she  put 
down  her  palette,  wiped  her  hands  and  went  forward 
with  an  invitation  to  the  ladies  to  be  seated. 

18U 


A  CHURCH  COMMITTEE.  1S5 

"Is  this  Miss  Turner?"  began  Mrs.  Dyke,  with  a 
critical  glance  about  the  apartment,  and  then  at 
Grace. 

"  No,  madam,  Miss  Turner  is  not  in.  She  generally 
returns  about  five,  but  to-day— 

"  Very  well,  we  can  come  again,  for  it  is  very  im- 
portant business.  Are  you  the  young  woman  who  lives 
with  her?"  asked  Mrs.  Dyke,  as  she  seated  herself  with 
deliberate  dignity.  "  This  is  Mrs.  Linberger,  and  we 
have  called  as  the  church  committee  to  look  after  Miss 
Turner's  soul,"  she  continued,  waving  her  hand  majes- 
tically toward  her  companion-in-arms. 

"  Indeed,"  gasped  Grace,  bowing  slightly  toward 
Mrs.  Linberger,  and  coughing  a  little  as  she  put  her 
handkerchief  to  her  mouth  to  hide  a  smile. 

"  She  belongs  to  our  church,  and  we  have  heard  she 
is  being  led  astray  by  this  blasphemous  Christian  Sci- 
ence," pursued  Mrs.  Dyke,  looking  severely  at  Grace 
from  under  her  thick  grey  veil  which  hung  like  a  low- 
ering cloud  just  above  her  eyes.  "Mr.  Narrow 
requested  me  and  Mrs.  Linberger  .to  call  and  examine 
into  the  matter.  I  hope  you  don't  encourage  such 
wickedness,  young  woman  ?" 

"Certainly  I  am  at  enmity  with  any  kind  of  wick- 
ness,  but  I  am  not  aware  of  any  particular  wicked- 
ness in  Christian  Science,"  replied  Grace,  bracing 
herself  for  the  storm  she  saw  brewing. 

"  What !  you  don't  see  anything  wrong  in  such 
awful  heresy ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Dyke,  again  pushing 
her  veil  up,  and  looking  with  horrified  eyes,  first  at 
Grace,  then  at  Mrs.  Linberger.  '-Perhaps  you  don't 


186  THE  EIGHT  KNOCK. 

understand  about  it,"  she  added,  softening  a  little  as 
she  settled  back  in  her  chair. 

"  I  must  confess  I  know  but  very  little  about  it,  but 
what  I  do  know  only  increases  my  desire  to  know 
more,"  said  Grace,  flushing,  as  she  sat  down  in  the 
nearest  chair. 

"Let  me  warn  you  not  to  read  or  hear  another 
word  about  it  then,  for  it  will  simply  be  the  means  of 
worse  than  death  to  you,"  continued  Mrs.  Dyke,  rais- 
ing her  finger  solemnly. 

"It  destroys  the  most  important  doctrines  in  the 
Bible,  even  taking  away  the  belief  in  the  devil  and 
hell,"  added  Mrs.  Linberger,  speaking  for  the  first 
time. 

"Yes;  they  even  deny  there  ever  was  a  devil  or 
that  there  ever  will  be  any  future  punishment,  -h^t 
think  of  it,"  reiterated  Mrs.  Dyke.  "I  guess  they  will 
see,  some  time !  "  she  added  with  a  sort  of  steely  satis- 
faction. 

"Do  you  really  believe  they  lay  aside  all  future 
punishment?"  asked  Grace,  willing  to  waive  the  appli- 
cation to  herself,  and  anxious  to  hear  Mrs.  Dyke's 
views. 

"  Yes,  they  say  there  is  no  evil  and  no  devil,  so  of 
course  there  is  no  need  for  punishment." 

"  But  do  they  not  regard  the  devil  as  Jesus  did, 
after  all  2 "  asked  Grace,  again  pursuing  her  advantage. 

"  U-m,  well,  Jesus  recognized  him  and  talked  to 
him,  telling  him  to  get  out,  and  he  often  referred  to  the 
everlasting  punishment,"  added  Mrs.  Dyke  again,  with 
a  solemn  face. 


A  CHURCH  COMMITTEE.    .  187 

"But,  he  did  not  mean  a  literal  fire,  did  he,  when 
He  spoke  of  everlasting  punishment  ? " 

Mrs.  Dyke  was  the  catechized  instead  of  the  cate- 
chizer,  and  it  was  an  unaccustomed  role,  but  she  bore 
it  like  a  soldier. 

"  Of  course  he  did  ;  several  places  in  Matthew  he 
described  the  lot  of  the  wicked,  and  referred  to  the 
danger  of  hell-lire.  Haven't  you  studied  the  Bible, 
Miss  HalH"  suddenly  turning  to  look  straight  at 
Grace  with  some  severity. 

"  I  am  very  much  interested  in  it,  Mrs.  Dyke,  but 
when  I  read  that  'God's  mercy  endureth  forever,'  and 
that  '  Jesus  came  to  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil,'  I 
am  inclined  to  think  there  must  be  some  mistake  about 
the  dreadful  wrath  that  is  to  last  forever,"  calmly 
replied  Grace. 

"  And  you  don't  believe  in  eternal  punishment  ? " 
cried  Mrs.  Dyke,  in  a  shrill  voice  of  astonishment. 

"  Don't  believe  in  eternal  punishment  2 "  echoed  Mrs. 
Linberger. 

"  I  did  not  say  that.  I  do  think  there  is  punish- 
ment so  long  as  there  is  sin,  but  when  we  believe 
Christ  has  destroyed  or  can  destroy  sin,  sickness,  sor- 
row or  death,  which  are  the  devil's  works,  they  will  be 
destroyed.  It  must  be  so  if  we  trust  the  words  of  the 
gospel." 

"Well,  I  am  thankful  to  find  Miss  Turner  in  such 
Christian  company  at  any  rate,"  said  Mrs.  Dyke,  as  she 
adjusted  her  veil,  preparatory  to  her  departure. 

"Yes,  indeed;  it  is  a  pleasure  to  see  such  an  ear- 
nest young  Christian,"  added  Mrs.  Linberger,  with  a 
sitrh  of  satisfaction. 


188  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  But,  ladies,"  began  Grace,  "  I  am  not  such  a " 

"We  shall  be  pleased  to  have  you  accompany  Miss 
Turner  to  our  meetings  some  time,  Miss  Hall,"  inter- 
rupted Mrs.  Dyke,  not  heeding  what  Grace  was  saying. 
"Here  is  a  card  announcing  the  regular  weekly  services, 
and  here  are  some  tracts  for  you  to  read."  She  dealt 
out  a  liberal  supply,  which  Grace  took  as  she  again 
started  to  explain,  but  a  sudden  haste  had  seized  her 
visitors,  and  they  left,  saying  they  would  try  and  call 
some  other  time,  when  Miss  Turner  was  at  home. 

As  Grace  turned  to  go  back  to  her  painting,  she 
caught  a  glance  of  her  reflection  in  the  glass.  After 
looking  at  it  a  moment  with  a  quizzical  expression,  she 
suddenly  burst  into  a  merry  laugh,  saying  :  "  I  did 
not  know  you  had  turned  Bible  teacher.  Well,  well, 
it  was  funny,  but  I  could  not  help  it,  that  she  went 
away  with  the  wrong  impression  of  me,  for  she  would 
not  listen  to  my  explanation." 

When  Kate  came  home  she  brought  another  letter 
from  Mrs.  Hayden,  but  before  it  was  read  Grace  told 
her  all  about  the  call  by  the  "church  committee." 
Kate  looked  a  little  grave  at  first,  but  finally  straight- 
ening up  as  she  took  off  her  gloves  and  hat,  she  said  : 

"  Well,  Grace,  it  is  not  very  pleasant  to  be  waited 
upon  in  this  fashion,  but  I  suppose  if  they  take  me  in 
hand  I  can't  help  myself,  and  so  I  will  be  resigned  to 
fate."  She  smiled  and  spoke  cheerily,  but  a  little  tre- 
mor of  the  old  fear  touched  her,  notwithstanding. 

"  Let  us  read  the  letter  now,"  suggested  Grace,  think- 
ing that  would  be  the  best  thing  to  revive  Kate's  damp- 
ened courage. 


A  CHURCH  COMMITTEE.  189 

"  Yes,  I  am  anxious  to  read  it ;  Mr.  Hayden  told 
me  it  is  on  the  Bible,  and  very  helpful." 

"  I  am  so  glad ! "  she  exclaimed,  when  it  was  fin- 
ished. "  Now  I  can  interpret  more  freely  myself,  as  I 
plainly  see  we  must  use  our  judgment  about  the  Bible, 
as  well  as  anything  else.  But  what  does  it  mean  about 
the  creeds  ?  "  she  added  suddenly,  appealing  to  Grace 
with  the  old  anxious  look  in  her  eyes. 

"  It  means,"  said  Grace,  "  that  the  ordinary  ortho- 
dox interpretation  of  doctrinal  points  was  voted  upon 
by  bishops,  presbyters  and  laity  generally,  and  because 
the  majority  of  votes  indicated  a  preference  for  a  cer- 
tain interpretation,  it  was  adopted  and  became  the 
established  creed,  and  thus  we  have  what  is  called  the 
Apostles'  Creed,  which  is  the  basis  of  all  orthodox 
churches  throughout  Christendom.  "  And  so  with  all 
creeds ;  they  are  all  established  by  majority  vote." 

"  I  should  never  have  known  anything  about  this," 
she  continued,  "  if  I  had  not  been  searching  so  eagerly 
for  some  religion  that  would  satisfy,  and  in  my  ram- 
bles I  came  across  this  information." 

"Are  you  sure  it  is  reliable?"  was  Kate's  almost 
feverish  question.  It  seemed  that  she  must  hold  on  to 
something  or  the  last  straw  that  bound  her  to  the 
teachings  of  childhood,  would  break. 

"  It  is  a  matter  of  history,  and  you  see  Mrs.  Hay- 
den  has  touched  upon  it,  though  very  lightly.  But  it 
is  the  grandest  historical  truth  I  ever  read,  for  it  gives 
personal  liberty.  I  shall  never  forget  ho\v  happy  I 
was  to  learn  that  the  creeds  were  simply  man-made  or 
man-expressed  opinions,  for  in  that  case,  I  too,  had 


190  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

liberty  to  read  and  think  for  myself,  just  as  well  as 
those  who  voted  upon  these  various  interpretations." 

Grace  was  handsome  when  filled  with  enthusiasm, 
and  as  Kate  looked  at  her  at  this  moment  she  thought 
her  face  perfectly  angelic,  but  one  more  question  she 
must  ask  of  this  noble  friend,  who  knew  just  what  she 
needed  to  know  and  could  tell  it  when  she  needed  it 
most.  "Do  you  think  Christian  Science  does  away  with 
the  creeds  of  the  church  ? " 

"  No,  not  necessarily.  So  far  as  I  can  see.  it  merely 
seeks  truth,  and  whatever  of  truth  is  found  anywhere 
is  retained.  It  is  only  the  husks  that  are  thrown  away. 
Indeed  I  can  see  more  in  the  church  than  I  ever  could 
before  I  knew  anything  of  Christian  Science,"  replied 
Grace,  thoughtfully. 

"  Why,  how  is  that  ?  "  asked  Kate  in  surprise. 

"The  fundamental  oneness  in  their  search  after 
God.  What  is  back  of  the  creed  but  a  desire  to  rever- 
ence Deity  ?  That  was  the  origin,  no  matter  into  what 
it  has  degenerated  now,  and  we  must  judge  according 
to  the  spirit,  not  the  letter.  Oh,  when  will  the  world 
worship  in  the  unity  of  the  spirit  ?"  sighed  Grace,  long- 
ing for  the  time  when  questionings  and  controversies 
would  be  at  an  end. 

"  Here  is  Mrs.  Dyke,  for  instance,"  she  resumed, 
presently,  "  what  is  she  striving  for  but  to  live  the  true 
religion  as  she  understands"  it  ?  I  can  respect  any  hon- 
est people  who  live  up  to  their  belief,  and  the  Christian 
who  moans  and  sighs  and  looks  doleful  because  he 
thinks  it  is  his  duty  to  do  so,  is  much  higher  in  my 
estimation  than  the  one  who  believes  it  to  be  right,  but 
fails  to  live  accordingly." 


A  CUUCR1I  COMMITTEE. 


191 


"  The  spirit  of  religion  washes  away  all  differences 
in  the  letter,"  concluded  Kate,  with  a  lighter  heart 
than  she  had  when  they  began  their  conversation. 

The  vague  terror  that  had  occasionally  thrust  itself 
upon  her  during  these  last  few  weeks  had  loosened  its 
hold  upon  her,  and  she  realized,  as  never  before,  that 
fear,  more  than  anything  else,  had  kept  her  back ;  fear 
of  deviating  from  the  traditional  and  accepted  opinions. 
The  Bible  lesson  was  especially  valuable,  because  it 
touched  these  very  points,  and  after  this  little  conver- 
sation with  Grace  on  the  subject  she  was  like  another 
person. 

When  Mrs.  Dyke  called  a  few  evenings  later,  after 
a  similar  interview  to  the  one  with  Grace,  she  left 
the  battlefield  a  wiser  soldier  than  when  she  entered  it, 
for  Kate  had  so  beautifully  proven  her  religious  earnest- 
ness, and  more  than  all  had  shown  such  a  Christ-like 
spirit,  that  the  "sword  was  beaten  into  a  plowshare 
and  the  spear  into  a  pruning  hook." 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

"  More  things  are  wrought  by  prayer 
Than  this  world  dreams  of.    Wherefore  let  thy  voice 
Rise  like  a  fountain  for  me  night  and  day, 
For  what  are  men  better  than  sheep  or  goats 
That  nourish  a  blind  life  within  the  brain, 
If,  knowing  God,  they  lift  not  hands  of  prayer 
Both  for  themselves  and  those  who  call  them  friend? 
For  so  the  whole  round  world  is  every  way 
Bound  by  gold  chains  about  the  feet  of  God." 

—  Tennyson. 

"MARLOW.  September,  . 

kEAK  HUSBAND: 

"  Your  letter  was  so  full  of  interest.  How 
glad,  oh  how  rejoiced  I  am  that  we  are  privileged 
to  know  this  beautiful  truth.  Don't  you  ever  feel 
like  stopping  in  the  midst  of  your  work  and  giving 
thanks  that  you  were  bora  in  this  age?  As  my  eyes 
open  more  and  more  to  God's  goodness  and  love  and 
power,  I  am  so  full  of  thanks,  there  is  no  room  for 
petitions;  indeed,  I  should  feel  as  though  I  were  beg- 
ging, to  ask  God  for  what  He  has  already  given  me, 
and  of  course  He  gives  every  child  alike,  being  'no 
respecter  of  persons.'  Just  think  of  it :  'Eye  hath  not 
seen  nor  ear  heard,  neither  hath  it  entered  into  the 
heart  of  man,  to  conceive  the  things  which  God  hath 
prepared  for  them  that  love  Him.'  Negative  thought, 
carnal  mind  can  not  know  these  things,  but  as  we  are 

m 


PR  A  TER.  193 

cleansed  and  purified,  the  new  baptism  '  creates  'in 
us  a  new  heart,'  the  loving  child's  heart  turned  to  its 
father,  and  love  shall  teach  us  more  and  more  to  read 
the  signs  of  love. 

"Oh,  divine  mystery  of  childhood,  of  parenthood, 
that  brings  us  into  closer  and  sweeter  knowledge  of  our 
Father  whose  love  is  infinite.  Out  of  the  deep  silence 
around  us,  filled  as  it  is  with  the  all-abiding  presence 
of  God,  may  we  ask  for  a  manifestation  of  whatever 
gift  we  choose  to  have.  These  thoughts  filled  my 
mind  as  I  went  to  class  this  afternoon,  and  what  was 
my  surprise  and  pleasure  to  find  the  lesson  to  be  on 
the  subject  of  prayer. 

"  There  is  no  theme  or  word  so  constantly  in  the 
mind  and  on  the  lips  of  the  Christian  Scientist  as 
prayer.  The  oft-repeated  injunction  of  Jesus  was, 
'  watch  and  pray  lest  ye  enter  into  temptation.'  '  Pray 
without  ceasing.'  As  we  study  more  closely  into  the 
life  of  the  Master,  we  find  him  on  all  occasions  com- 
muning with  the  Father  in  prayer.  Thus  we  find 
that  this  is  the  most  sacred  and  necessary  of  all 
branches  of  our  daily  work. 

"  Prayer  is  the  natural  turning  of  the  better  self 
to  God,  in  the  attitude  of  thankfulness,  praise,  suppli- 
cation or  voiceless  desire.  '  It  must  be  the  spontaneous 
and  almost  irrepressible  outpouring  of  the  thoughts 
and  feelings  of  the  soul  into  the  listening  ear  of  a 
present  God,'  said  an  earnest  thinker. 

"  To  what  wonderful  depths  and  heights  our  prayers 
lead  us  when  they  are  thus  spontaneous  and  irre- 
pressible !  How  well  David  has  expressed  the  grati- 


194  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

tude,  the  holy  trust  and  majestic  praise  common  to 
every  devout  child  of  God.  '  The  Lord  is  my  shepherd,' 
is  blessed  ath'nnation  of  supreme  trust,  the  naming  of 
God's  glorious  gifts,  the  gratitude  for  peace,  life,  Jove, 
protection,  friendship,  all  the  heavenly  blessings  of 
God's  presence  in  God's  house.  In  this  wonderful 
psalm  we  find,  no  doubt,  no  thought  of  waiting  for 
future  blessings,  but  a  grand  outpouring  of  thankful- 
ness for  the  present.  There  are  no  petitions,  no  sup- 
plications, no  reserves  of  praise,  but  simply  the  glad 
recognition  and  appreciation  of  the  omnipresence  and 
omnipotence  of  Good. 

"  It  was  the  same  feeling,  tempered  with  a  deeper 
solemnity,  that  prompted  Jesus  to  say  '  Father,  I  thank 
thee  that  thou  hast  heard  me,'  as  he  was  about  to 
perform  the  mighty  miracle  of  raising  Lazarus. 

"Thanks  signify  the  accomplishment  of  the  desire, 
his  request  of  the  Father  was  granted  before  he  had 
even  preferred  it,  for  he  knew  the  law  and  realized  it 
—that  God  is  life  and  knows  not  death — but  the  form 
of  words  was  observed  because  that  makes  the  law  a 
visible  fact. 

"  Father  is  the  human  naming  for  this  divine  Love 
that  ever  waits  for  the  spoken  word  in  order  to  be  re- 
vealed. To  Jesus  it  was  the  dearest  and  best  name  of  all 
by  which  to  address  or  speak  to  the  one  great  Helper, 
Guide,  Friend.  '  Father,  I  thank  thee,'  was  often  on 
his  lips,  and  it  was  to  the  '  Father  whoseeth  in  secret' 
that  he  bade  his  disciples  pray. 

"In  the  secret  consciousness  of  oneness  with  the 
Father  there  may  be  no  reservations,  no  concealments, 


PRATER.  195 

no  hypocritical  bigotry,  no  thought  of  self,  only  a  glad 
going  out  with  all  our  heart  and  soul  to  the  Father,  a 
trustful  acknowledgment  of  the  Good.  This  is  the 
attitude  of  true  prayer. 

"The  devout  soul  is  always  praying,  because  it  con- 
wioiidy  lives  with  God.  There  are  times  of  praise, 
adoration,  extolment,when  thankfulness  is  more  exuber- 
ant, runs  over  into  bursting  joy,  and  times  when  long- 
ing desire  carries  us  into  the  very  bosom  of  God.  We 
long  for  comfort,  for  love,  for  peace,  with  an  unutter- 
able agony  of  longing,  and  are  met  with  an  unutterable 
joy  of  satisfaction,  if  we  but  turn  to  Him  and  acknowl- 
edge, but  an  indispensable  preliminary  to  prayer  is 
fasting.  The  power  of  accomplishment  in  fasting  and 
prayer  equals  a  decree. 

"  The  conditions  upon  which  hinge  our  use  of  the 
divine  power  are,  first, '  putting  away  iniquity' — fast- 
ing ;  second,  turning  to  God — prayer.  Then  comes 
the  power  to  decree;  then  we  see  the  truth  of  Jesus' 
promise :  '  All  things  whatsoever  ye  pray  and  ask  for, 
believe  that  ye  have  received  them,  and  ye  shall  have 
them.'  Then  we  look  into  the  face  of  the  Almighty, 
and  reflect  the  same  power,  are  able  to  do  a  like  work, 
make  visible  the  things  of  His  creation  by  speaking 
the  word  of  acknowledgment,  that  they  are  already 
established. 

"  It  was  this  kind  of  prayer  that  enabled  the  dis- 
ciples to  heal  the  sick,  cast  out  demons  and  do  all  the 
wonderful  works.  Failure  was  simply  a  sign  of  un- 
faithfulness in  prayer.  'Oh,  ye  of  little  faith!'  was 
the  Master's  explanatory  exclamation. 


196  T1IK  KTHIIT  KNOCK. 

"  Here  was  a  most  essential  requisite — faith  in  the 
Father,  who  alone  is  the  power ;  faith  and  trust  in  the 
invisible  All.  Why  do  we  pray  so  much  with  no 
answer  to  even  our  most  devout  aspirations  2  Because, 
like  the  disciples,  we  have  too  little  faith. 

k'  The  heart-weary  mother  has  prayed  for  her  son, 
and  he  still  goes  the  '  broad  way  that  leadeth  to  destruc- 
tion,' as  she  thinks;  but  for  her  heart-weariness,  which 
is  but  lack  of  faith,  he  might  have  been  turned  into 
'  paths  of  righteousness.'  "With  her  mind  continually 
burdened  with  fear,  dire  forebodings  and  anxious  doubts, 
she  has  asked,  begged,  beseeched  the  mighty  Ruler  of 
destinies  to  soften  the  heart  of  her  wayward  boy. 
Thankfulness  that  God  has  given  to  her  child  the  com- 
mon inheritance  to  all  possible  blessings,  a  pure  spirit- 
ual nature,  the  reflection  of  the  All-Good,  has  never 
entered  her  thought  to  express.  Her  mind  is  divided 
between  a  conception  of  good  and  a  conception  of  its 
opposite — evil.  The  result  is  years  of  hopeless  praying, 
years  of  hopeless  waiting.  '  A  house  divided  against 
itself  can  not  stand.' 

" '  Pray,  believing  that  ye  have  received.'  Thus, '  I 
thank  Thee,  Father,  for  the  perfect  reflection  of  Thy- 
self in  my  son.  He  is  whole  because  he  lives  in  and  of 
Thy  wholeness.  I  thank  Thee  that  Thou  hast  already 
done  more  than  I  could  ask.  '  It  is  finished.'  Into 
Thy  hands  I  commend  my  all.' 

"  In  this  is  the  simple  recognition  of  the  All-Father, 
His  love  and  His  omnipotence.  And  after  this,  what* 
Trust — unwavering,  childlike  trust.  So  the  burden  is 
truly  '  cast  upon  the  Lord,'  evil  is  overcome,  swallowed 
up  in  the  Good. 


PR  A  TER.  197 

"  With  such  mighty  faith,  what  a  cleansing  there 
would  be !  what  a  sincere,  glad  rejoicing  that  the  true 
relation  between  God  and  man  were  proven,  for  faith 
is  the  bond  between  the  invisible  and  the  visible,  a 
'  basis  of  things  hoped  for,  a  conviction  of  things  unseen.' 

"  With  what  devoutness,  then,  would  we  name  the 
needs  and  aspirations  ?  With  what  certainty  would  we 
assert  that  we  have '  already  received  ? '  Not  far  off  in 
the  intangible  somewhere,  but  here,  there,  everywhere 
may  we  find  the  Good,  and  '  he  that  dwelleth  in  the  sec- 
ret place  of  the  Most  High  shall  abide  under  the  shadow 
of  the  Almighty.' 

"  To  dwell  in  the  secret  place,  in  the  pure  and  right- 
eous thought,  is  to  be  always  under  the  protection  of 
the  Most  High.  To  be  able  to  say,  '  He  is  my  refuge 
and  my  fortress,'  is  the  grand  privilege  given  to  the 
heir  of  the  King,  the  heir  that  has  come  to  the  full 
knowledge  of  his  inheritance  and  thankfully  uses  it. 

" '  The  effectual,  fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man 
availeth  much,'  wrote  the  wise  and  righteous  James. 
There  is  an  infinite  promise  of  the  fulfillment  of  right- 
eousness in  these  words.  They  contain  the  key  to  all 
accomplishment  or  all  failure.  The  righteous  man  is 
one  who  '  walketh  righteously,  speaketh  uprightly, 
stoppeth  his  ears  from  hearing  of  blood,  shutteth  his 
eyes  from  seeing  evil'  (prayer  and  fasting).  The 
righteous  man  decrees  magnificently  and  trusts  infi- 
nitely. He  does  not  approach  God  like  a  cringing 
servant,  licking  the  dust  at  his  master's  feet,  but 
like  a  Prince  who  enters  his  Father's  presence  with  the 
simple  statement  of  his  wants,  and  knowing  his  Father's 


198  THE  Rldl  IT  KXOCK. 


takes  the  glorious  gift  with  thanksgiving  and 
praise. 

"Is  it  health  lie  would  have  manifested  for  himself 
or  his  neighbor?  He  confidently  acknowledges  the 
health,  even  though  he  can  not  see  it,  the  health  with 
which  all  humanity  is  endowed,  if  it  would  claim  its 
endowment.  Is  it  peace,  power,  strength  he  desires, 
he  again  goes  to  the  royal  treasury.  With  the  right 
word  he  climbs  the  stair  of  heaven;  with  the  right 
faith  he  enters  his  Father's  house,  where  all  things 
abound. 

"  The  righteous  man  is  of  one  mind,  the  divine 
Mind  that  works  through  him.  Were  all  the  praying 
world  of  one  mind,  think  you  a  Lincoln  would  have 
been  martyred,  a  Garfield  sacrificed,  or  tender  little 
children  lost  to  our  sight? 

"  God  is  the  same  forever.  There  is  no  inharmony 
to  come  from  Harmony.  Be  of  one  mind  ;  let  the 
divine  Mind  work  through  you;  acknowledge  only  the 
divine  creation,  and  then  all  beliefs  in  the  opposite 
of  God  will  be  destroyed.  The  immaculate  Christ 
(Truth)  destroys  the  works  of  the  evil  (error)  to-day, 
even  as  in  the  far  away  centuries  of  the  past,  '  if  so  be 
you  let  the  Mind  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus  be  in  you.' 

"  The  practical  naming  of  daily  prayer  is  denial  and 
affirmation,  denying  evil  or  undesirable  conditions,  and 
acknowledging  the  Good  or  absolute. 

"  '  Being  is  the  vast  affirmative  excluding  negation, 
self-balanced  and  swallowing  up  all  relations,  parts  and 
times  within  itself.  Nature,  truth,  virtue,  are  the 
influx  from  thence,'  said  Emerson,  noting  the  absolute- 


PEA  TER.  199 

ness  of  that  which  is.  To  become  one  with  this  affirm- 
ative Allness,  is  to  manifest  the  affirmative  condition 
of  Being. 

"  Paul  says  in  Titus :  '  The  grace  of  God  hath  ap- 
peared to  all  men,  teaching  us  that  denying  ungodliness 
and  worldly  desires,  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously 
and  godly  in  this  present  world ; '  and  in  the  next 
chapter,  referring  to  the  same  subject :  '  This  is  a  faith- 
ful saying,  and  these  things  I  will  that  thou  affirm  con- 
stantly, that  they  which  hath  believed  in  God  might  be 
careful  to  maintain  good  works.' 

"  There  is  no  ceasing  of  this  most  necessary  process. 
It  is  only  by  denying  and  affirming  constantly  that  we 
fast  and  pray,  thus  fitting  ourselves  for  the  cleansing 
ministry.  It  is  to  '  be  diligent  in  season  and  out  of  sea- 
son,' if  we  would  gain  the  true  reflection  from  Omnip- 
otence. 

What  the  sun  is  to  the  flower, 
Thou  to  us  art  every  hour  ; 
Like  the  dew  on  lily's  breast 
Fall  all  blessings  from  the  Best. 
Not  alone  in  day  would  we 
Turn  our  faces,  Lord,  to  Thee, 
But  through  lowering  clouds  of  night 
Would  reflect  Thy  radiant  light ; 
Thanking  Thee  for  all  Thy  care, 
May  our  lives  be  filled  with  prayer. 

"  What  an  outpouring  there  was  in  the  silence  after 
this.  Such  a  flood  of  reverence  and  trustfulness  filled 
my  heart,  and  instantly  it  flashed  upon  me  that  God 
requires  no  outward  forms  or  ceremoniesof  His  children, 
except  they  be  the  spontaneous  and  involuntary  expres- 
sion of  an  overflowing  heart. 


SOO  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"Kneel ing  in  prayer  was  first  prompted  by  rever- 
ence and  not  the  servile  form  into  which  it  has  too 
much  degenerated.  A  form  is  only  a  sign  at  best.  If 
there  is  nothing  to  prompt  the  sign,  what  a  mockery 
it  is!  Truly,  '  the  letter  killeth  but  the  spirit  gi vet h 
life.' 

"  Exactly  how  these  thoughts  came  to  me  I  can  not 
tell,  but  after  the  silence  I  knew  by  a  great  and  sudden 
wave  of  understanding,things  that  I  had  never  thought 
of  before,  and  to  attempt  to  tell  them  would  be  like  try- 
ins:  to  catch  the  sunshine.  The  hint  I  have  tried  to 

O 

give  seems  very  far  from  the  reality  of  my  experience — 
but  what  are  words  compared  to  thoughts,  any- 
way! .  .  .  My  heart  is  too  full.  I  know  now 
what  'inexpressible'  means. 

"  Good  bye,  with  love  to  all. 

"  MAKION. 

"P.  S.  I  had  just  finished  my  letter  when  ]\Irs. 
Dawn  and  Miss  Singleton  came  in.  They  too,  had 
something  wonderful  in  the  silence.  It  seems  too 
sacred  to  tell,  but  to  you  three  who  are  so  earnestly 
seeking  the  way  of  Truth,  I  can  say  what  might 
seem  sacrilege  to  the  thoughtless  world.  Miss  Single- 
ton had  realized  in  those  few  moments*  the  inexpress- 
ible meaning  of  the  Lord's  prayer.  'Why,'  she  said, 
'  why,  if  we  could  realize  what  it  means,  there  would 
be  no  more  sickness,  sin  or  death.  It  seemed  to  me 
the  very  heavens  opened,  and  I  looked  upon  a  broad 
white  shining  light  like  a  path,  only  it  was  broadened 
and  broadened  ;is  I  looked,  till  it  became  wide  enough 
to  cover  the  whole  earth.  This  is  to  be  wherever  the 


PRA  TER.  SOI 

kingdom  has  come  upon  earth.  Wherever  the  thoughts 
are  heavenly  and  pure  there  the  Father  is,  there 
heaven,  wholeness,  health  are,  and  I  could  realize  that 
the  light  is  here,  but  ignorance  keeps  it  veiled,  so  that 
verily  the  'light  shineth  in  darkness  but  the  darkness 
comprehendeth  it  not.'  Talk  of  sickness,  trouble,  sor- 
row, why,  they  are  nothing!  The  light  is  here,  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  IMS  come,  and  been  here  all  the 
time.  Jesus  knew  it,  but  he  had  to  use  language  they 
could  understand.  lie  knew  if  they  prayed  faithfully 
in  that  spirit,  bye  and  bye  the  spiritual  meanings  would 
flash  upon  them.  Oh,  how  much,  how  much  it  means! 
I  can  never  lose  this,  for  it  means  unutterable  things,  and 
I  know  there  is  no  reality  in  sickness  for  I  am  well/1 

"  Miss  Singleton  is,  or  has  been  troubled  for  years 
with  heart  disease  and  a  slight  curvature  of  the  spine. 

"  It  was  not  very  light  in  the  room,  and  I  had  not 
noticed  her  figure  particularly,  but  as  she  spoke,  her 
face  fairly  shone  with  a  heavenly  light  (I  can  think 
of  nothing  else  to  describe  it),  and  she  was  straight  as 
any  one !  She  declared  over  and  over  that  she  was 
well,  but  more  than  all  else  she  appreciated  the  spirit- 
ual uplifting  and  knowledge  that  had  come. 

"  Mrs.  Dawn  had  no  special  revelation  to-day,  but 
she  seems  to  be  unfolding  most  beautifully.  We  talked 
a  long  time,  and  then  sat  in  the  silence.  They  have 
just  gone.  How  I  wish  I  could  see  you,  but  it  is  late 
and  I  must  again  close.  Give  my  love  to  Grace  and 
Kate.  I  am  so  glad  Kate  is  getting  into  the  light.  I 
felt  she  would  be  all  right  after  she  begun.  Of  course, 
Kate,  you  will  read  this,  but  you  will  not  care,  I  am 
sure.  M.  H." 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

"Not  till  the  soul  acts  with  all  its  strength,  strains  its  every 
faculty,  docs  prayer  begin." 

— Frances  Power  Cobbe. 

HAVE  always  thought  a  great  deal  on  the  subject 

of  prayer,"  said  Mr.  Hayden,  drawing  his  chair  up 
closer  and  bending  over  to  look  at  his  listeners,  Grace 
and  Kate,  who  had  called  to  get  the  letter  which  had 
just  been  read,  and  it  appears  to  me,"  he  continued, 
"  that  subject  has  been  misunderstood." 

"Well?"  interrogated  Grace. 

"  Well,  we  have  always  been  taught  to  pray  to  a  God 
who  could  be  informed  of  our  wants  and  needs,  and  be 
induced  to  change  His  mind  about  the  method  of  deal- 
ing with  them,  or  be  softened  in  His  judgments  con- 
cerning His  children.  Now  if  God  is  all-wise  and  all- 
powerful,  why  need  we  so  carefully  instruct  Him?  If 
He  is  all  Love  why  need  we  ask  Him  with  piteous  tears 
to  bless  our  sick  and  afflicted?  If  He  is  everywhere 
present,  and  no  respecter  of  persons,  why  need  we  ask 
Him  to  do  for  one  more  than  for  another?  As  God  is 
omniscient,  is  lie  not  all  the  knowledge  there  is?" 

"The  great  mistake  has  been  to  regard  Deity  as  Per- 
son, instead  of  Principle,"  said  Grace,  as  he  paused  a 
moment. 

"As  God  is  changeless  and  eternal,  the  essence  of 
Love  and  Life/'  he  went  on.  not  heeding  the  interrup-' 


E  VER  Y-DA  7  PR  A  CTWE.  SOS 

tion,  "  how  can  it  be  otherwise  than  that  we  have  an 
inllux  of  this  divine  Life  into  ourselves  as  we  acknowl- 
edge its  eternal  and  omnipresent  existence,  realizing 
the  truth  of  what  we  say  ?" 

"  There  the  trouble  has  been,"  said  Kate,  taking 
up  his  thought,  "  that  we  have  not  realized  the  divine 
Presence  which  we  call  Truth,  because  we  have  not 
acknowledged  it." 

"That  is  exactly  the  reason,  and  it  needs  a  constant 
acknowledgment  of  the  Good  to  keep  us  from  admit- 
ting false  beliefs  that  beset  us  because  of  an  acknowl- 
edgment of  the  opposite  of  the  Good." 

"What  then  is  your  idea  of  the  true  method  of 
prayer  ?"  asked  Kate,  much  interested. 

"More  of  thanksgiving,  as  Mrs.  Pearl  teaches.  I 
like  her  comparison  to  the  servant  and  prince.  We 
can  not  dwell  too  much  on  the  thought  that  God  is 
always  giving  us  blessings.  They  are  here,  have  been 
from  the  beginning  of  all  knowledge,  and  our  part  is  to 
take  them.  I  often  think  of  that  comparison  between 
the  earthly  and  the  heavenly  Father,  given  by  Jesus, 
when  he  said :  '  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to 
give  good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much  more 
shall  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  give  good  things 
to  them  that  ask  Him  ?'  Here  is  Mabel,  for  instance. 
Passionately  fond  of  flowers  as  she  is,  suppose  some 
day  I  should  bring  her  a  rare  bouquet  from  the  florist's, 
and  with  a  smile  hold  them  out  to  her,  saying :  '  Here 
Mabel,  are  some  roses  for  you!'  How  would  I  feel 
if  she  came  with  the  most  pathetic  expression 
of  longing  and  misery  in  her  face,  and  dropping 


£04  THE  mOUT  KNOCK. 

down  on  her  knees,  should  beg  me  to  give  her  one 
flower  ?  But  instead,  like  a  true  child  that  knows  the 
father  love,  she  would  fly  to  take  the  beautiful  gift  and 
say,  'Oh,  thank  you,  papa!'  as  she  gives  me  a  raptur- 
ous kiss,  then  runs  for  a  vase  to  hold  her  treasures." 

"Indeed,  that  is  like  the  true  child  we  all  should 
become,  and  give  thanks  for  the  beautiful  gifts  of  (rod/' 
said  Kate,  softly,  as  if  to  herself. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  the  Lord's  prayer  as  it  was 
revealed  to  the  lady  ? "  asked  Grace,  to  whom  this  part 
of  the  letter  seemed  a  little  hard  to  understand. 

"I  think  her  revelation  far  exceeds  mine,  but  I  have 
enough  to  know  that  it  is  as  she  says:  ;  We  must  finally 
get  the  inner  meaning,  but  I  would  uncover  the  spirit- 
ual ideas  by  clothing  them  in  more  spiritual  language.' 

"It  would  be  a  great  help  if  you  would  interpret  it 
for  us,"  said  Kate,  moving  her  chair  closer  in  her  eager- 
iiess  to  hear. 

"  Wait  a  moment,"  said  Mr.  Hay  den,  as  he  went  for 
the  Bible.  "  I  don't  know  very  well  how  to  word  it,  but 
the  thought  came  to  me  this  morning,  and  became 
much  plainer  after  I  had  read  the  letter." 

He  road  the  Lord's  Prayer,  then  gave  his  conception 
of  the  spiritual  meaning. 

"All-pervading  Father-Mother  Spirit,  which  art  in 
all  harmony,  revered  and  holy  is  Thy  name.  Thy 
peace  and  love  and  righteousness  is  conceived  and  real- 
ized amid  earthly  environments  as  it  is  in  the  highest 
state  of  harmony. 

"  Give  to  us  eacli  day  the  hidden  manna,  the  living 
word  that  sustains  us,  and  give  us  the  truth  for  error  as 


E  VER  Y-DA  T  PR  A  CTICE.  205 

we  in  our  divine  likeness  to  Thee,  give  truth  for  error 
to  those  who  err  against  us. 

"  Leave  or  let  us  not  in  temptation,  but  preserve 
us  from  all  thoughts  that  would  dishonor  Thee,  for 
Thine  is  the  kingdom  and  power  and  glory  forever." 

"  That  is  wonderful.  Oh,  how  beautiful  it  all  is," 
exclaimed  Kate  with -much  feeling. 

"  Isn't  it  ? "  added  Grace,  "  and  quite  in  accord  with 
the  passage  quoted  by  Mrs.  Hayden, '  what  things  soever 
ye  desire,  that  — '  " 

"  Same  principle,  recognizing  the  omnipresence  of 
all  things  good,  and  acknowledging  the  gift  as  already 
given,"  interrupted  Mr.  Hayden,  shutting  his  book  and 
rising  to  put  it  away. 

"  How  would  you  construe  the  passage  where  it 
says,  '  with  prayer  and  supplication  let  your  requests 
be  made  known  to  God?' "  asked  Kate. 

"  Oh,  but  you  have  not  quoted  it  all :  '  With  prayer 
and  supplication,  with  thanksgiving  let  your  requests  be 
made  known,'"  replied  Mr.  Hayden,  smiling.  "It 
means,  continue  to  ask,  and  expect  to  receive  and  give 
thanks,  not  only  by  word,  but  by  proper  use  of  what 
you  already  have.  l  If  ye  continue  in  my  word,'  was 
the  condition,  so  it  must  be  that  we  continue  to  ask 
and  give  thanks,  even  if  our  petition  is  not  visibly 
answered  at  once." 

"  Mr.  Hayden  had  some  advantage  in  his  study  over 
the  girls,  for  these  things  had  been  more  or  less  consid- 
ered by  himself  and  Mrs.  Hayden  ever  since  her  recov- 
ery, and  it  was  no  wonder  he  could  explain  so  readily. 

"After  all,  how   would  you  apply   this  way    of 


jw  TV//-:  niairr  K\<>CK. 

praying  to  giving  treatments?"  asked  Grace.     "I  am 
anxious  for  the  practical  application." 

"Why,  it  is  all  practical,  as  far  as  the  individual  is 
concerned,  but  the  application  toothers  we  have  yet  to 
learn,  though  I  imagine  it  is  the  same.  It  is  simply 
being  negative  to  false  conditions,  thus  putting  them 
off,  and  affirmative  to  true  conditions,  absorbing  them 
as  the  flower  does  the  light  and  heat." 

"Well,  it  is  a  beautiful  idea  of  prayer  at  any  rate," 
remarked  Grace. 

They  soon  went  home,  still  discussing  and  deeply 
pondering  the  subject. 

****** 

"  Grace,  what  do  you  suppose  I  did  to-day  ?  "  cried- 
Kate,  breathlessly,  as  she  rushed  in  the  next  evening. 

'•Can't  imagine,  unless  you  cured  little  Tim,  the 
newsboy,"  laughed  Grace,  making  her  guess  extrava- 
gant enough. 

"No,  but  really,  I  treated  Fannie  for  a  dreadful 
headache.  Of  course  I  said  nothing  to  her,  but  she  was 
stumbling  so  over  her  music,  I  asked  her  what  was  the 
matter,  and  when  she  told  me  I  treated  her.  In  just  a 
few  moments  she  brightened  up  and  said  she  felt  bet- 
ter, and  before  we  got  through  it  was  all  gone.  Wasn't 
that  delightful! " 

"Very,  and  I  am  so  glad.     How  did  you  do  it  ? " 

"Well,  I  can  hardly  tell,  but  the  talk  we  had  yes 
terday  with  Mr.  Hayden  gave  me  a  clearer  idea  than  I 
had  before,  and  I  just  denied  the  headache  and  ac- 
knowledged the  truth  that  she  was  spiritually  well;  then 
waited  a  few  moments  and  gave  thanks  that  it  was  so." 


/•:  I  'KR  Y-DA  T  PEA  CTICE.  207 

"  How  glad  we  ought  to  be  for  the  privilege  of  read- 
ing Mi's.  Hayden's  letters,"  said  Grace,  thoughtfully,  as 
she  smoothed  her  hair  and  washed  her  hands. 

"  Yes,  and  what  a  goose  I  was  about  it,"  Kate  re- 
plied. "  I  would  scarcely  take  the  chance  when  it  was 
offered,  and  if  it  had  been  any  one  but  Mrs.  Hay  den, 
I  do  believe  I  should  have  refused  point  blank." 

"We  know  so  little  what  is  right  when  we  judge 
in  the  old  way,"  said  Grace.  "Now,  if  I  actually 
hadn't  seen  that  woman  cured,  and  known  positively 
how  she  was  before,  nothing  would  have  induced  me 
to  spend  my  time  on  this,  although,  from  the  first,  I 
rather  liked  the  theory." 

"Where  is  my  gingham  apron?"  called  Kate,  look- 
ing in  the  dark  closet  where  she  had  hung  it. 

"  Kate,  I'm  thoroughly  reformed,  as  you  will  know 
when  I  tell  you  I  am  perfectly  willing  to  perform  the 
culinary  duties  to-night,  and  I  will  be  the  cook  while 
you  discourse  some  music  for  my  edification,"  laughed 
Grace,  as  she  emerged  from  the  studio  with  her  sleeves 
rolled  back,  and  the  lost  apron  pinned  around  her. 

"What!"  cried  Kate,  holding  up  both  hands  with 
a  mock-tragic  air.  "  Do  you  really  mean  it  ?" 

"  Of  course,  and  I  will  show  you  what  a  talent  I 
have  for  poaching  eggs  and  making  toast." 

The  girls  were  in  the  habit  of  dividing  their  work 
according  to  their  personal  tastes.  Kate  liked  to  pre- 
pare dainty  meals  and  wash  dishes,  while  Grace  pre- 
ferred to  sweep  and  dust,  and  arrange  things  to  suit 
her  artistic  eye.  Each  disliked  the  other's  part  of  the 
work,  so  thev  were  well  content  to  have  it  so  divided. 


sos  TUK  ma  JIT  KNOCK. 

"  Go  on,  no\v,"  ordered  Grace,  ''and  plav  for  me. 
I  want  some  music ;  but,  tirst  of  all,  tell  me  where  the 
eoos  are>  alu^  how  l°n»  should  they  boiH" 

"  The  eggs  are  in  the  tin  pail  on  the  third  shelf  in 
the  closet.  They  should  boil  till  they  are  a  pivtty 
blue  white." 

"Very  well,  now  I  can  dispense  with  your  com- 
pany." 

Kate  laughed  merrily,  and  sitting  down  to  the 
piano,  played  till  Grace  called  her  out  to  dine. 

"  It  seems  rather  nice  to  come  home  and  play  lady," 
she  remarked,  as  she  went  out  where  Grace  was. 

"  Well,  really,  Kate,  I  was  thinking  this  afternoon 
that  there  is  not  so  much  difference  in  the  kinds  of 
work  as  there  is  in  the  thoughts  you  have  when  you 
work,  and  I  resolved,  that  to  refrain  from  certain  duties 
because  one  does  not  like  them  is  selfish,  and  makes  a 
person  one-sided.  Then  I  could  see  no  reason  why  I 
should  dislike  to  cook,  and  concluded  to  try  it." 

"  I  believe  you  are  right  about  the  one-sidedness," 
said  Kate,  soberly 

"  I  do  want  to  grow  into  a  rounded  character,  and 
am  just  realizing  the  necessity  of  doing  things  that  lie 
nearest  us,  whether  it  is  washing  dishes,  painting  or 
scrubbing.  If  I  get  so  I  can  think  right  about  things 
I'm  sure  I  shall  like  them." 

"  That  is  true.  I  have  already  noticed  a  vast  differ- 
ence in  my  patience  in  giving  lessons.  You  know  some 
days  I  would  be  so  nervous  and  get  so  exasperated  with 
Fannie  Thornton  and  Jenny  Miles,  I  didn't  know  what 
to  do  with  myself,  but  the  last  few  days  I  have  not 


EVER  T-DA  T  PEA CTICE.  209 

minded  them  at  all,  in  fact  I  got  along  better  with 
Fannie  than  ever  before,  and  it  was  just  because  I  kept 
from  thinking  she  was  contrary  and  stupid." 

"  Well,  that  is  a  practical  application  of  your  lesson. 
I  think  we  ought  to  apply  it  to  everything  we  do," 
replied  Grace. 

"  One  of  the  chief  beauties  of  Christian  Science  is 
that  it  goes  into  every  thought  and  action,"  said  Kate, 
thoughtfully,  adjusting  her  hair. 

"  Oh !  "  she  added  a  moment  later,  "  I  forgot  to  give 
you  the  letter  that  came  to-day."  She  pulled  it  out  of 
her  pocket  all  crumpled  and  gave  it  to  Grace,  who 
glanced  at  her  name  on  the  envelope  and  then  grew 
white  about  the  mouth  as  she  hastily  put  it  into  her 
pocket,  remarking  in  an  ordinary  tone,  "It  will  keep 
a  little  longer." 

Little  was  said  by  either  for  some  time.  Grace  was 
preoccupied  and  Kate  furtively  watched  her  face,  for 
this  was  an  unaccountable  procedure,  although  occa- 
sionally Grace  had  been  affected  the  same  way  before. 

She  insisted  on  washing  the  dishes,  and  was  glad 
indeed  that  she  had  it  to  do,  while  Kate  poured  her 
thoughts  into  music,  feeling  that  she  could  best  show 
sympathy  for  her  friend  by  this,  to  her,  most  expressive 
way. 

As  for  Grace,  she  waited  till  she  had  quite  finished 
her  work  and  then  sat  down  to  read  the  letter.  She 
well  knew  it  was  from  Leon  Carrington,  a  suitor,  whom 
she  had  rejected  on  the  plea  that  she  wished  to  be 
wedded  solely  to  her  art.  Pride  had  forbidden  her 
being  frank  enough  to  tell  him  the  real  reason,  caused 


sin  TIII-;  HI  cur 

liv  an  impeachment  made  against  his  diameter,  by  one 
whom  she  implicitly  trusted  as  a  friend.  Her  bitter 
resolve  was  the  result,  and  while  it  wastrue  she  loved  and 
desired  to  spend  her  life  in  pursuing  her  art,  she  had 
compelled  herself  to  think  she  loved  it  best,  and  so  told 
him  it  was  first  choice. 

Hers  was  a  proud,  deep  nature,  and  rather  than 
admit  that  she  had  loved  or  could  love  one  whom  she 
considered  unworthy,  she  cut  the  matter  short  by  a 
decided  rejection.  It  had  cost  her  a  mighty  effort  to 
come  to  this  decision,  and  when  she  came  out  of  the 
trial,  she  had  lost  her  faith  in  all  men. 

On  all  other  points  but  this,  Grace  was  sound  and 
sweet  in  her  general  disposition,  but  any  talk  on 
marriage  she  would  never  tolerate  even  with  Kate. 

This  was  the  third  letter  he  had  written  in  the  two 
years  since  he  went  away,  and  as  in  the  preceding,  he 
fervently  begged  her  to  reconsider. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

"  Life  Lath  its  Tabor  heights, 
Its  lofty  mounts  of  heavenly  recognition, 
Whose  unveiled  glories  flash  to  earth  munition 
Of  love,  and  truth,  and  clearer  intuition  : 
Hail !  mount  of  all  delights  !  " 

— /.  C.  Gilbert. 

"  MAKLOW,  September  — 


OOP  morning,  dear  ones  all!  I  must  tell  you  a 
little  of  yesterday  before  I  go  to  the  lesson  to-day. 
We  were  not  in  class,  and  I  staid  in  my  room  all  day 
trying  to  solve  the  many  questions  that  present  them- 
selves to  us  all,  and  to  claim  a  little  more  understand- 
ing. Many  points  became  very  much  clearer  after  my 
long  meditation  in  the  silence.  In  the  evening  I  ran 
down  to  see  Mrs.  Dawn,  who  is  several  blocks  away. 
We  were  so  interested,  so  completely  absorbed  in  tell- 
ing our  thoughts  and  experiences,  that  it  was  after 
eleven  o'clock  when  I  arose  to  go,  and  then  she  ac- 
companied me  home,  only  intending  to  come  part  way, 
but  as  we  passed  a  little  low  house  about  half  way 
home,  the  door  suddenly  opened  and  a  little  girl  of  ten 
or  twelve  years  ran  out  sobbing,  '  The  baby  is  dying ! 
the  baby  is  dying!' 

"  She  was  going  up  an  outside  stairway  to  inform  a 
neighbor.  We  rushed  into  the  house  and  found  the 
frantic  mother  sobbing  and  wailing  over  her  baby 
apparently  in  the  last  agonies  of  death. 

211 


fig  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  '  What  is  it  ?  Can't  we  do  something  for  you  ?' 
we  asked,  not  knowing  what  else  to  say. 

" '  Oh,  my  baby,  my  precious  baby  is  dying  !  Don't 
you  see  ?  she  is  almost  gone  ! ' 

"  Indeed,  for  an  instant  it  seemed  the  little  life  had 
gone  out,  when,  like  a  flash  of  lightning,  the  words 
came  to  my  inner  self,  '  There  is  no  death.'  '  lie  that 
belie veth  on  me  shall  not  see  death ; '  '  I  am  the  way 
the  truth  and  the  life.'  '  Treat,'  I  whispered  to  Mi's. 
Dawn,  and  soon  the  awful  lie  was  denied  by  us  in  the 
peaceful  silence  of  our  own  souls ;  for  all  conscious- 
ness of  appearances  had  vanished  as  we  denied  death 
and  its  power,  till  we  could  command  the  waves  of 
mortal  thought  to  subside  and  say,  '  Peace,  be  still.' 

"  It  was  the  Master,  the  Christ  within,  who  spoke 
for  us,  and  we  were  filled  with  the  mighty  peace  and 
calmness  of  Truth  that  worked  through  us  and  was 
immediately  made  manifest.  The  little  face  relaxed, 
the  eyes  lost  their  glassy  stare,  the  color  returned  to 
the  pale  lips. 

"  The  mother  ceased  her  mourning  and  gazed  at  the 
precious  child  in  awesome  silence.  The  neighbor  and 
the  little  girl  who  had  come  in,  stood  by  in  hushed 
amazement.  For  a  while  all  felt  the  presence  of 
the  great  invisible  Power  that  had  wrought  so 
wondrous  a  work  in  their  midst,  although  no  one 
knew  but  ourselves  what  had  been  done.  Presently 
the  mother  leaned  back  in  her  chair  with  a  sigh  of 
relief,  awaiting  the  doctor,  for  whom  her  husband  had 
gone  before  we  entered  the  house.  We  waited  till  he 
came,  and  then  quietly  slipped  out. 


UNDERSTANDING.  213 

"  Mrs.  Dawn  came  clear  home  with  me,  and  we 
found  our  thoughts  and  feelings  had  been  almost  iden- 
tical in  this  remarkable  experience,  showing  the  oneness 
of  truth.  It  is  something  we  shall  never  forget,  for  it 
was  indeed  from  the  very  depths  of  our  being  we 
were  stirred  and  thrilled  with  the  mighty  Principle. 

"  This  morning  I  went  to  see  the  baby,  and  found 
it  quite  bright  and  happy,  but  still  breathing  a  little 
heavily.  The  M.  D.  had  left  medicine,  and  of  course, 
they  were  giving  it '  according  to  directions.'  I  told  the 
mother  something  of  the  Science,  and  she  readily 
acknowledged  that  something  mysterious  had  saved 
her  child's  life,  because  it  certainly  was  dying  as  much 
as  the  child  she  had  lost  years  ago. 

"  'After  you  left  last  night,  the  neighbor  who  was 
here  said  like  as  not  you  were  Christian  Scientists 
whatever  that  is,  but  she  did  not  believe  a  word  in  it, 
and  that  it  was  all  nonsense,  but  I  told  her  I  didn't 
care.  I  thought  you  saved  my  baby,  and  the  doctor 
said  it  had  grown  much  better  since  he  came.  '  Well/ 
says  1, 4  ef  you  had  seen  her  condition  when  the  ladies 
came  in,  you  would  say  she  is  better.' 

" '  Oh,  we  won't  argue  about  what  made  her  better, 
whether  medicine  or  something  else;  all  we  want  now 
is  to  have  the  child  cured/  said  the  doctor,  very  kind- 
like,  and  I  really  thought  a  great  deal  better  of  him 
than  I  had  before,  for  most  M.  D.'s  think  they  know 
everything,'  she  said. 

"  I  was  so  glad  to  find  she  acknowledged  even 
this  much,  so  I  talked  a  little  longer,  and  explained  the 
necessity  of  perfect  trust  in  God,  and  the  consequences 


g!4  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

of  distrust  in  Him.  She  seemed  very  responsive  and 
ready  to  believe,  but  then,  who  would  not  believe  after 
such  a  demonstration  ?  I  have  felt  awed  and  hushed  all 
the  morning,  remembering  the  mighty  something  surg- 
ing through  me.  It  seems  hard  to  believe  that  at  last 
my  desire  to  have  some  grand  sign  shown  me  is  already 
fulfilled. 

"Mi*s.  Pearl  talked  beautifully  this  afternoon  on 
understanding.  I  wish  you  could  hear  the  lectures  as 
she  gives  them,  with  all  her  grace  and  beauty  and 
impressiveness.  Here  is  the  essence  of  the  lesson  : 

"As  we  evolve  from  material  to  spiritual  under- 
standing, we  put  ourselves  more  and  more  into  the 
divine  current  of  Life,  Health,  Goodness,  which  is  God. 
The  higher  our  ideal,  the  higher  our  attainment.  Be- 
lieving in  God  as  supreme  Love,  we  find  it  impossible 
to  conceive  of  wrath,  jealousy,  revenge,  as  emanating 
from  or  existing  in  Him,  Her  or  It.  As  we  are  filled 
with  love,  it  becomes  universal.  Everybody  is  judged 
by  its  tender  charity,  everything  is  tinged  with  its  warm 
radiance. 

"As  Paul  so  beautifully  wrote:  'Love  suffereth 
long  and  is  kind,  love  envieth  not,  vaunteth  not  itself,  is 
not  puffed  up,  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh 
not  its  own,  is  not  provoked,  taketh  not  account  of 
evil,  rejoiceth  not  in  unrighteousness,  but  rejoiceth  in 
the  truth.  .  .  .  Love  never  faileth.'  If  this  be  a 
standard  by  which  to  judge  the  love  of  men,  how  much 
more  appropriately  might  it  judge  God,  who  is  love 
itself. 

"  In  proportion  as  we  are  freed  from  the  ignorance 


UNDERSTANDING.  215 

and  narrowness  of  primitive,  ancient  opinions  concern- 
ing God,  we  shall  rise  to  broader  and  tenderer  and 
truer  conceptions  of  Him.  To  the  warm,  sympathetic 
heart,  that  knows  the  deepest  needs  of  humanity,  the 
'mercy  that  endureth forever' is  an  established  fact  of 
the  universal  Love.  To  understand  this  Love  is  to  be 
at  one  with  it,  to  do  the  works  and  think  the  thoughts 
of  Love.  It  is  essential,  then,  first  to  understand  the  law 
of  effort,  then  faith,  then  love,  then  spiritual  understand- 
ing, which  is  the  goal  toward  which  we  all  hasten — 
understanding  of  all  spiritual  things,  understanding  of 
God,  who  is  all  spirit.  As  we  make  the  effort  we 
receive  faith,  as  we  use  faith  we  grow  in  the  power  and 
capacity  of  love,  and  love  brings  us  the  fullness  of  all 
things,  even  understanding  of  infinite  wisdom.  Every 
glimpse  of  truth  we  have  ever  had,  every  glorious 
breath  of  freedom,  is  but  a  hint  of  what  will  be  when 
we  have  '  awakened  to  righteousness.' 

"  We  gain  our  knowledge  by  and  through  the  law 
of  right  speaking  and  consequently  right  acting.  In 
the  Bible,  the  New  Testament  especially,  great  stress 
is  laid  upon  the  power  of  words.  Solomon  wrote, 
*  How  forcible  are  right  words.'  'Life  and  death  are 
in  the  power  of  the  tongue,'  and  from  St.  L'aul  we  hear, 
'  Hold  fast  the  form  of  sound  words ;'  and  James' 
admonition,  'Be  ye  doers  of  the  word  and  not  hearers 
only,'  show  that  both  considered  it  necessary  to  speak 
the  word  if  they  would  manifest  its  power. 

"  But  there  is  another  and  a  holier  office  given  to 
the  word  and  that  is  the  office  of  atonement.  The 
original  meaning  of  atone  was  to  '  make  at-one,  to  agree, 


g!6  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

to  be  in  accordance,  to  accord.'  To  be  at-one  with  a 
person  is  to  be  in  such  perfect  sympathy  that  the 
thoughts  of  both  are  the  thoughts  and  feelings  of  one. 

"  Another  illustration  would  be  to  say  of  a  chip 
thrown  into  the  river,  it  is  at-one  with  the  current.  In 
this  sense  we  should  aim  to  be  so  at-one  with  the  divine 
Principle  that  we  may  say  with  Jesus,  'I  am  one  with 
the  Father,'  for  did  he  not  say:  'They  are  not  of  this 
world  even  as  I  am  not  of  this  world,'  and  '  That  they 
may  be  one  even  we  are  one.' 

"  To  speak  absolute  Truth  is  to  come  into  the  true 
at-one-ment,  to  be  at  one  with  the  divine  Mind,  to  real- 
ize that  Christ  the  Truth  is  the  atoning  power.  The 
Christ  is  the  impersonal  Word  of  Truth  which  we 
are  to  speak,  for  'unto  us  hath  been  committed  the 
word  of  reconciliation'  or  atonement. 

"  When  we  think  true  thoughts  and  catch  true  ideas, 
when  we  understand  true  meanings  and  love  true 
knowledge,  we  are  sustained  by  the  living  word  which 
sustains  all  who  speak  and  live  it,  because  we  are  truly 
at  one  with  the  divine  Word. 

"Knowing  the  meaning  of  Christ  to  be  Truth, 
blood  to  be  life  or  word,  and  sin  to  be  error,  we  catch 
the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  phrase  'sins  washed  away 
by  the  blood  of  Christ,'  which  is,  sins  or  errors  washed 
away  by  the  word  of  Truth. 

"In  that  wonderful  sermon  in  the  sixth  chapter  of 
John,  Jesus  used  the  term  blood  as  a  symbol  of  his 
words,  and  emphatically  told  his  disciples,  when  they 
persisted  in  taking  his  sayings  literally,  't.lioflosh  proflt- 
etli  nothing,  the  ?/v;/v7.s-  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  are 
spirit  and  they  are  life.' 


UNDERSTANDING.  217 

"  That  the  Bible  writers  used  the  figurative  language 
of  those  times,  must  be  taken  into  account  when  read- 
ing points  that  have  been  made  foundation  doctrines. 
Owing  to  the  ancient  custom  of  sacrificing  animals  to 
appease  the  wrath  of  God,  whom  they  regarded  as 
subject  to  anger,  jealousy  or  any  human  passion,  they 
used  figurative  language  when  describing  Jesus  as  the 
Lamb  sacrificed  for  the  sins  of  the  world. 

"  In  one  of  the  inspired  moments  of  the  prophet, 
when  he  apprehended  God  as  a  God  of  Love,  he  cried 
out,  '  I  have  desired  mercy  and  not  sacrifice  ;  and  the 
knowledge  of  God  more  than  burnt  offering.'  It  is 
the  knowledge  of  God,  the  word  of  truth,  that  will 
save,  and  the  only  sacrifice  is  the  sacrifice  of  self  which 
makes  the  atonement  possible. 

"  To  fast  from  all  selfishness  is  to  keep  the  true  fast, 
so  beautifully  described  in  the  fifty-eighth  chapter  of 
Isaiah.  '  Is  it  not  to  loose  the  bands  of  wickedness,  to 
undo  the  heavy  burdens,  to  let  the  oppressed  go  free,  to 
break  every  yoke?  Then  shall  thy  light  break  forth 
as  the  morning,  and  thine  health  shall  spring  forth 
speedily.'  Here  is  the  fruit  of  atonement,  the  result  of 
understanding,  for  understanding  God  and  being  at 
one  with  God,  is  in  reality  the  same.  As  we  under- 
stand God  we  shall  be  at  one  with  Him,  and  to  be  at 
one  with  God  is  to  be  whole,  for  He  is  Holiness,  whole- 
ness, health.  '  If  thine  eye  be  single,  then  shall  thy 
whole  body  be  full  of  light.'  To  be  single  in  recogniz- 
ing the  one  Mind,  one  Power,  one  Creation,  is  to  be 
filled  with  light,  which  .is  life,  which  is  health,  for  as 
the  mind,  consciousness,  becomes  illuminated,  the  body 


g IS  THE  Rid  II T  K.\< > <  7i*. 

responds  by  recording  the  history  of  thought  upon  the 
visible  page  or  body. 

•'It  is  the  revealment  of  God  that  we  seek,  and  our 
individual  relation  to  Him.  What  more  is  there  for  us 
to  know  after  we  know  Him,  for  is  not  He  all  there 
realty  is?  He  has  given  many  marvelous  signs  to  His 
children,  who  must  be  taught  in  simple  childish  ways 
and  the  '  still  small  voice '  is  ever  near,  speaking  to 
whomsoever  will  listen.  It  is  the  inner  guide,  the 
'spirit  of  truth  that  guides  us  into  all  truth.'  Then  we 
are 'clothed  upon,'  we  have  returned  to  our  Father's 
house  and  the  feast  is  spread,  the  rejoicing  has  begun. 

"For  awhile  our  only  conception  of  power,  is  invis- 
ible manifestations  or  feelings,  but  there  comes  a  time 
when  '  to  be  alone  with  silence  is  to  be  alone  with  God,' 
when  joy  is  unutterable,  and  love  the  very  potency  of 
silence,  when  we  wait  with  bated  breath  and  let  the 
divine  Thought  surge  through  us,  when  we  put  away 
all  material  beliefs  and  stand  glorified  in  the  '  secret  of 
His  Presence.'  Then  indeed  are  we  bapti/ed  of  the 
spirit,  and  in  the  silent  chamber  of  our  new  conscious- 
ness may  we  hear  the  blessed  words,  'Thou  art  my 
beloved  son.' 

"No  longer 'Thou  shalt  and  thou  shalt  not,'  but 
the  sweet  affirmation  of  sonship,  of  (laugh tership,  of  the 
precious  benediction  of  a  Father's  love.  Then  glad  light 
rushes  into  every  dark  crevice  of  our  mind.  We  sec  as 
we  never  saw  before,  we  understand  as  we  never  under- 
stood be  fore,  we  speak  as  we  never  spoke  before,  we  live  as 
we  novel1  lived  before,  because  we  have  been  lifted  outof 
the  depths  of  ignorance  to  the  radiant  heights  of  the 


UNDERSTANDING.  219 

Promised  Land,  because  we  hear  the  angel  saying  as  of 
old,  '  Behold  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he 
will  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be  his  people,  and 
God  himself  shall  be  with  them  and  be  their  God  .  .  . 
and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes,  and 
there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow  nor  crying, 
neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain,  for  the  former 
things  are  passed  away. '  Finally,  oh  my  husband, 
because  we  have  been  born  again,  and  so  find  our- 
selves within  the  royal  gates,  the  palace  doors  open 
to  receive  us  and  the  insignia  of  royalty  written  upon 
our  faces,  for  we  shall  be  stamped  with  the  signs  of 
understanding,  and  know,  as  Jesus  did,  '  it  is  not  I, 
but  the  Father  that  dwelleth  in  me,  lie  doeth  the 
works.' 

"  Then,  as  the  beauteous  sunlight  bathes  and  blesses 
all  the  world  with  its  effulgent  glory,  so  will  the  light 
of  Truth,  known  as  understanding,  shine  through  us 
and  turn  pain  into  peace,  sadness  into  joy,  sickness 
into  health,  error  into  truth. 

'Wisdom  ripens  into  silence, 

And  the  lesson  she  doth  teach, 
Is.  that  life  is  more  than  language, 
And  that  thought  is  more  than  speech.' 

"  How  I  long  for  this  ultimate  experience !  How  I 
yearn  for  the  fullness  of  this  knowledge  now;  for  the 
ripened  wisdom  that  shall  unlock  the  doors  of  my  own 
consciousness,  but  I  know,  dear,  this  will  come  to  us  if 
we  are  faithful  to  the  few  little  steps  we  know,  no 
matter  how  we  stumble  and  fall  in  taking  them.  Oh, 
that  we  may  reach  out  to  all  the  world  in  the  sweet 
ministry  of  '  peace  on  earth,  good  will  to  men.' 


9SO  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  You  say  '  there  is  a  rift  in  the  clouds  for  you,  too, 
and  the  vague  something  which  sometimes  loomed  up 
in  your  horizon  is  gone.'  How  glad  I  am,  no  words  can 
tell.  What  a  change  there  will  be !  The  old  past  shall 
be  sweetened  and  sanctified  by  the  new  present,  and 
only  the  good  memories  shall  remain. 

"What  a  blessed  comfort  in  this  thought,  'the  Lord 
shall  be  thy  rear  ward.'  We  have  nothing  to  do  with 
the  past,  for  it  shall  be  utterly  annulled.  The  Truth 
has  erased  it,  and  it  is  swallowed  up  in  the  good  in  pro- 
portion as  we  recognize  only  the  Good.  This  thought 
is  a  great  consolation  to  me  when  I  recall  the  hasty 
words  I  used  to  say  when  my  temper  got  the  better  of 
me.  Oh,  that  old  failing!  I  hope  it  is  forever  van- 
quished— but  there,  I  must  not  forget  to  be  scientific, 
and  of  course  it  is  not  scientific  to  talk  of  error  in  any 
way. 

"  Jamie  is  a  dear  little  scamp,  if  he  did  try  to  break 
the  rules  and  get  something  to  eat  between  meals  by 
playing  prairie  dog.  It  must  have  been  very  funny  to 
see  him  sitting  in  the  attitude  of  a  begging  dog,  mutely 
appealing  for  something,  and  being  obliged  at  last  to 
suggest  that  there  was  candy  on  the  top  shelf.  Even 
my  heart  would  have  softened  for  the  innocent  little 
trickster. 

"  Well,  really,  we  must  try  to  give  the  children  the 
liberty  we  older  children  desire  and  insist  upon  having 
in  such  a  headstrong  way.  Bless  my  little  darlings! 
They  shall  realize  the  absence  of  fear,  the  presence  of 
love  in  their  homo,  which  \ve  must  strive  more  and 
inon>  to  m;ik<>  typic.-il  of  tli<>  in'rat  Home  in  which  we 
are  all  members. 


UNDERSTANDING.  221 

"  I  feel  that  they  are  dearer  now  than  ever.  My 
love  is  more  unselfish,  and  I  can  really  feel  that  they 
are  truly  consecrated  to  the  Good,  because  I  know  how 
to  hold  them  in  the  thought  of  the  Good,  how  to  annul 
the  opposite  influences  and  fill  their  minds  with  the 
sweet,  pure,  ennobling  realizations  of  Love.  Meekly  I 
say  this,  because  I  know  not  my  own  strength,  or 
rather  I  know  not  how  much  divine  strength  I  may 
recognize  and  use,  but  this  is  the  right  path,  and  I  ear- 
nestly desire  to  walk  in  it. 

"  You  know  some  people  say  (in  their  ignorance,  of 
course)  that  Christian  Science  breaks  up  families.  Oh, 
if  they  could  only  know,  on  the  other  hand,  how  it 
strengthens  the  bonds,  how  it  clears  up  misunderstand- 
ings and  falsities,  how  it  teaches  us  the  sacredness  of 
family  relations,  and  brings  us  into  spiritual  oneness, 
which  is  the  only  true  marriage. 

"  Spiritual  light  has  come  to  me  on  this  subject 
which  can  not  be  put  into  words,  but  some  time  you  will 
know  what  I  know,  and  we  shall  both  be  blessed  by 
the  knowledge. 

"  Peace  be  unto  all  God's  children. 
"  Your  loving 

"  MAKION." 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

"  If  thou  art  worn  and  bard  beset, 

Witb  troubles  tbat  tbou  would'st  forget, 
If  thou  would'st  read  a  lesson  that  will  keep 

Thy  heart  from  fainting  and  thy  soul  from  sleep, 
Go  to  the  woods  and  hills  !  No  tears 

Dim  the  sweet  look  that  Nature  wears." 

— U.  W.  Longfellow. 

was  in  deep  perplexity.  She  pondered 
her  problem  over  and  over,  and  though  in  reality 
she  felt  more  like  flinging  pride  to  the  winds  than  ever 
before,  she  was  not  able  to  formulate  or  even  con- 
sciously name  her  thoughts.  A  strange,  unsettled 
feeling  possessed  her.  She  wondored  at  herself  that 
she  did  not  contemptuously  throw  this  letter  of  Leon 
Carrington's  into  the  fire,  as  she  had  the  other  two,  but 
for  some  reason  did  not  do  so.  All  night  she  was 
uneasy  and  slept  but  little.  The  next  morning  she 
announced  to  Kate  that  she  would  spend  the  day  at 
Rosewood,  sketching. 

What  the  trouble  was,  Kate  could  only  surmise, 
but  wisely  held  her  peace  feeling  instinctively  that 
now  was  no  time  for  questions.  She  was  relieved  to 
hear  of  the  prospective  recreation,  for  Grace  alwavs 
came  back  from  these  trips  with  so  much  fresh  inspira- 
tion, and  renewed  enthusiasm. 

It  was  a  beautiful  day,  one  of  those  mild,  hazy  days 
of  October  that  seem  made  to  teach  humanity  some 

m 


A  NEW  PROBLEM. 

of  its  most  sacred  lessons.  Nature  is  the  best  of 
teachers  if  we  know  how  to  read  her  mystic  pages,  her 
many  and  varied  beauties,  her  wide  diversities  of 
expression,  her  fine  subtlety  of  language,  for  she  is 
the  handmaid  of  Truth,  inasmuch  as  she  holds  before 
our  admiring  eyes  pictures  of  Truth  and  its  wondrous 
laws.  If  \ve  can  interpret  the  pictures,  we  are  wiser 
and  better  and  happier. 

Grace  was  ever  ready  to  listen  to  the  oracles  of 
nature,  but  now  they  held  a  sweeter  message  than  ever 
before,  and  she  keenly  anticipated  the  pleasure  in  store 
for  her  as  she  seated  herself  in  the  car  and  disposed  of 
her  sketching-  materials  for  the  half  hour's  ride  to  Rose- 
wood, a  pretty  little  woodland  station  near  Hampton. 

She  generally  walked  the  mile  and  a  half  to  the 
farmhouse  in  the  edge  of  the  woods,  where  she  had 
made  the  acquaintance  of  a  kind  hearted  old  lady,  who 
loaned  her  a  great  Newfoundland  dog  belonging  to 
the  house,  for  company  in  her  rambles. 

Mrs.  Clayland  was  rejoiced  to  see  her,  for  it  had 
been  several  weeks  since  Grace  had  called,  and  she 
was  eager  to  tell  her  of  the  great  tree  up  in  the  ravine 
that  had  been  blasted  by  the  lightning,  and  about  the 
beautiful  little  waterfall  caused  by  the  Cherry  Creek 
freshet. 

Grace  listened  patiently  as  she  rested,  and  asked 
questions  that  she  had  asked  many  times  before, 
because  it  pleased  the  old  lady  to  tell  of  all  the  beau- 
tiful spots  and  dainty  bits  of  landscape  in  her  vicinity. 
That  was  next  to  being  the  artist. 

Prince  stood  by,  looking  with  intelligent  eyes,  first 


224.  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

at  the  visitor  and  then  at  his  mistress,  wagging  his  tail 
wistfully  as  though  eager  to  be  off,  for  he  seemed  to 
realize  that  this  was  his  holiday  too. 

"  Are  you  ready  to  go,  Prince?"  asked  Grace,  put- 
ting the  dog  on  the  head  as  she  looked  into  his  great 
brown  eyes. 

Prince  licked  his  mouth  and  pushed  his  nose  close 
under  her  hand  while  his  tail  wagged  violently.  "  Yes, 
of  course  he  is.  I  wish  my  old  limbs  would  let  me 
go  too,  but  I  can't  even  hobble  to-day  for  the  rheuma- 
tism, has  been  dreadful  the  last  week,"  said  Mrs.  Clay- 
land,  as  she  wiped  her  spectacles. 

Grace  hardly  knew  what  to  sa}r,  for  here  was  just 
the  place  for  a  little  sympathy,  and  yet  she  must  shut 
her  eyes  to  false  beliefs  and  conditions,  so  she  wisely 
talked  of  the  beautiful  day,  the  warm  air,  and  what 
not,  while  secretly  resolving  that  Mi's.  Clayland  should 
be  her  first  patient  if  she  ever  knew  how  to  treat 
patients  according  to  Christian  Science.  In  the  mean 
time,  she  would  give  her  some  thoughts. 

While  Mrs.  Clayland  volubly  rattled  on,  talking  of 
all  her  aches  and  pains,  Grace  was  doing  her  best  to 
think  of  the  very  opposite  statement,  that  she  was 
well. 

At  last,  however,  with  Prince  trotting  gaily  in 
front  of  her,  she  began  her  rambles  in  earnest.  She 
knew  of  a  beautiful  view  from  one  of  the  hills  near 
by,  and  slowly  wended  her  way  thitherward.  The 
hush  and  quiet  of  the  place  seemed  such  a  relief  after 
the  troubled  hours  of  the  past  night,  and  as  she  came 
to  the  gentle  slope  of  the  grassy  hill,  sHe  threw  her- 


A  NEW  PROBLEM.  225 

self  into  the  soft  warm  grass,  in  the  shade  of  a  stately 
elm  that  stood  there  alone,  and  gave  herself  up  to 
thinking — thinking  of  the  deepest  and  most  sacred 
problems  in  human  experience. 

Prince  came  and  laid  himself  at  her  feet.  The  soft 
autumn  sunshine  played  here  and  there  upon  her  form 
and  face  through  the  leaves,  while  the  occasional  note 
of  a  bird  or  hum  of  an  insect  were  the  only  sounds  that 
broke  the  stillness  of  the  lonely  place.  What  an  ex- 
quisite pleasure  to  lie  there  and  breathe  in  all  this  won- 
derful peace,  for  it  was  like  a  taste  of  heaven.  Far 
away  from  all  perplexities  and  cares,  she  could  have 
lost  herself  in  sweet  forgetfulness  but  for  this  one  theme 
that  would  persist  in  thrusting  itself  upon  her.  At  last 
it  had  resolved  itself  into  the  form  of  a  question.  Should 
she  or  should  she  not  write  to  Leon  Carrington? 
Might  it  not  be  possible  she  had  been  misinformed, 
and  that  she  was  mistaken  in  her  hasty  conclusions? 

Life  presented  a  different  aspect  now  from  what  it 
had  two  years  ago.  She  was  more  lenient  in  her  judg- 
ments, more  charitable  in  her  opinions,  more  softened 
in  her  pride;  changed  more  than  she  ever  realized 
until  she  began  the  self-examination  on  this  point.  To 
be  sure  she  had  desired  to  change  in  these  respects, 
since  she  had  seen  a  glimpse  of  the  possibilities  of 
Christian  life.  She  had  denied  all  qualities  of  character 
in  herself  that  seemed  undesirable,  and  had  affirmed 
charitableness,  patience,  wisdom,  but  that  she  could 
ever  have  changed  her  mind  on  this  subject  seemed 
incredible  and  utterly  inconsistent. 

And  yet,  what  could  she  say  to  him  ?    She  had  no 


W$  Till-:  lilt  HIT  KNOCK. 

answer,  certainly  no  encouragement.  The  only  thing 
she  could  do  would  be  to  tell  him  frankly  what  her 
thought  and  judgment  had  been,  without  going  into 
details,  and  learn  the  truth  of  the  matter ;  but  that,  she 
would  never  do.  Whatever  injury  she  had  inHicted 
through  her  silent,  erroneous  thoughts  should  be  as 
silently  redressed  by  her  best  and  most  generous  ones. 

Over  an  hour  she  lay  there,  no  nearer  the  solution 
of  her  problem  than  when  she  began.  It  was  getting 
late,  and  she  rose  hurriedly,  shook  the  leaves  and  grass 
from  her  dress,  and  opening  her  sketch  book,  set  to 
work. 

An  opening  to  the  left  in  the  woods  revealed  a  view 
of  lovely  meadows  and  wooded  hills,  clothed  in  all  the 
gorgeous  robes  of  autumn,  with  a  misty  blue  ha/e 
enshrouding  them,  and  gleams  of  a  silvery  river  wind 
ing  through  meadow  and  woodland.  She  rapidly 
sketched  the  outlines,  studied  the  beauteous  blending 
of  tints,  and  wondered  meanwhile,  what  particular 
lesson  she  could  learn  or  give  by  this  beautiful  picture. 
Again  she  looked  at  the  scene  before  her.  Suddenly 
there  came  into  her  mind  some  lines  she  had  often 
admired : 

"  Oh,  the  peace  at  the  heart  of  Nature, 

Oh,  the  light  that  is  not  of  day  ! 
Why  seek  it  afar  forever, 
When  it  can  not  be  lifted  awny  '!  " 

Ah,  here  was  the  key.  "The  peace  of  Nature," 
typical  of  divine  peace,  "The  Light  not  of  day,"  divine 
Light  itself.  How  sweet  the  thought,  how  precious 
the  lesson  ;  and  the  divine  Peace  and  Light  are  indeed 


A  NEW  PROBLEM.  227 

forever  here.  Could  she  throw  such  a  divine  message 
into  her  prospective  painting?  Could  she  make  every 
form  and  color,  every  hint  of  light  and  shadow,  tell  the 
sweet  story,  as  this  living  picture  told  it  ?  Surely,  the 
heart  that  overflows  with  an  inbreathing  of  the  divine, 
must  be  able  to  teach  the  common  heart  of  humanity, 
else  what  is  the  use  of  inspiration? 

On  her  way  back  to  the  house,  Grace  passed  the 
blasted  tree,  described  by  Mrs.  Clayland,  but  she  had 
no  desire  to  study  destruction  or  death.  It  was  life, 
living  things,  that  she  would  portray.  Was  there  not 
beauty  and  grandeur  everywhere,  hinting  of  Infinity  ? 
Even  the  noisy  and  monotonous  waterfall  now  had  a 
message  for  her  as  it  rushed  forcefully  on  its  course, 
regardless  of  any  and  all  obstructions. 

It  was  quite  late  when  Grace  and  Prince  returned, 
much  later  than  she  supposed,  so  that  she  missed  the 
train  and  had  to  wait  for  the  next,  several  hours  later. 
Mr.  Clayland  kindly  volunteered  to  take  her  to  the 
station,  an  offer  she  was  very  glad  to  accept. 

The  lamps  were  already  lighted  when  she  entered 
the  car.  She  slipped  into  the  first  vacant  seat,  but 
caught  a  glimpse  of  a  face  several  seats  in  front  of  her 
that  made  her  heart  beat  hurriedly  and  her  breath 
come  quick  and  fast  for  a  few  moments. 

She  resolutely  avoided  looking  anywhere  but  out  of 
the  window,  and  at  the  end  of  her  journey  quietly  but 
quickly  disappeared  in  the  surging  crowd. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

"Let  me  not  dwell  so  much  within 

My  bounded  heart  with  anxious  heed, 
Where  all  my  searches  meet  with  doubt, 

And  nothing  satisfies  my  need  ; 
It  shuts  me  from  the  sound  and  sight 

Of  that  pure  world  of  life  and  light 
Which  has  no  breadth,  or  length,  or  height." 

—  A.  L.   Waring. 


ATE  had  long  ago  become  accustomed  to  these 


K- 

_JM3L_  uncertain  movements  of  Grace,  and  was  there- 
fore not  alarmed  at  her  prolonged  absence.  She  sat 
in  a  coxy  chair,  reading  the  last  letter  from  Mrs.  Ilay- 
den,  when  Grace  entered. 

"  What  makes  you  look  so  sober,  Gracious?"  she 
asked,  tenderly,  after  the  hat  and  sketch  book  were  laid 
aside  and  they  had  settled  themselves  for  their  usual 
chat. 

"  Oh,  Kate,  I  had  a  lovely  time  to-day,  with  all  the 
beautiful  sights  out  in  the  country  ;  I  wish  you  could 
see  how  much  more  there  is  in  nature  since  we  have 
studied  Christian  Science,"  was  the  evasive  reply. 

"1  think  we  see  more  in  everything,"  said  Kate, 
whose  curiosity  was  rather  piqued  by  the  evasiveness, 
though  she  made  no  sign,  <k  because  everything  stands 
for  something.  It  is  like  the  x  in  algebra,  and  interest- 
ing as  the  unknown  quantity." 

SS8 


UNDERCURRENTS.  229 

Grace  smiled  a  little.  She  was  thinking  of  a  dif- 
ferent kind  of  "  unknown  quantity." 

"  Don't  you  want  to  hear  Mrs.  Hayden's  letter  ?  " 
asked  Kate,  wondering  more  and  more  over  the  distrait 
nfanner  and  dreamy  absorption  of  her  friend. 

"  The  letter,  why,  of  course ;  where  is  it  ? " 

"  Here ;  shall  I  read  it  ?  " 

"  Certainly." 

Grace  grew  more  interested  as  the  reading  went  on. 
"  That  is  decidedly  the  most  reasonable  explanation  of 
the  atonement  I  have  ever  heard,"  she  exclaimed  at 
the  close. 

"  Yes,  it  is  reasonable  and  beautiful  I  must  admit," 
said  Kate,  "  but  when  I  first  read  the  letter  my  old 
fear  came  back  for  a  moment  that  possibly  it  was  all 
wrong,  but  I  remembered  my  right  to  an  interpreta- 
tion. That  one  thought  has  been  more  helpful  to  me 
than  any  other,  for  it  has  brought  such  a  sense  of  lib- 
erty. Then  I  looked  up  the  quotation  about  the 
'  word  of  reconciliation,'  and  I  must  say  it  is  so  per- 
fectly plain  I  can  not  see  why  it  has  been  so  overlooked 
and  neglected  before." 

"Where  is  it?  I  did  not  catch  that,"  said  Grace, 
following  Kate's  finger  as  she  pointed  to  the  passage  in 
the  Bible. 

"  There  is  something  so  sacred  in  these  meanings," 
resumed  Kate,  "and  if  I  may  only  get  the  truth,  I  care 
not  what  any  one  says  about  it.  I  see  now  wherein 
lies  the  whole  misconception  or  misinterpretation 
rather.  It  is  in  the  idea  of  God.  If  we  conceive  of 
Him  as  limited  to  human  ways  and  capacities,  as  the 


230  Till-:  HHil/T  K\OCK. 

ancient  Hebrews  did,  we  naturally  ascribe  sucli  works 
to  Him." 

"  In  other  words,"  added  Grace,  "  we  judge  God 
entirely  by  ourselves.  If  we  are  broad  and  loving  in 
our  nature  and  character  it  is  easy  for  us  to  regard 
God  as  love.  If  we  are  vindictive  and  revengeful,  we 
can  readily  see  Him  as  angry  and  unrelenting." 

"  Yes,  we  are  so  apt  to  judge  the  whole  world  and 
God,  too,  by  our  moods,"  replied  Kate,  thoughtfully. 

"  As  Emerson  says,  '  we  see  in  others  what  we  are 
ourselves,' "  quoted  Grace,  removing  her  jacket  which 
until  now  she  had  retained  in  order  to  get  warm  after 
her  evening  journey. 

"  Oh  !  what  do  you  think  of  what  Mrs.  Ilayden  says 
about  marriage  ? "  asked  Kate,  putting  her  pencil  in 
her  mouth  as  she  held  both  hands  out  to  assist  Grace. 

"  She  doesn't  say  enough  togivean  opinion,"  replied 
Grace,  "  but  there  must  be  something  in  her  mind  or 
she  would  not  write  about  it  now." 

"  Her  ideas  must  be  very  exalted,  and  I  hope  to 
know  what  they  are,  for  it  is  a  very  important  ques- 
tion," said  Kate,  with  a  casual  glance  toward  her  com- 
panion, as  she  bit  the  end  of  the  pencil. 

"  Mrs.  Ilayden  decidedly  denies  the  imputation  laid 
to  Christian  Science,  that  it  is  opposed  to  marriage,  or 
that  it  tends  to  separate  families,"  said  Grace,  with 
more  interest  than  Kate  would  have  thought  possible  a 
week  ago. 

"  I  did  not  know  any  such  imputation  had  been  laid 
to  it,"  rejoined  Kate,  opening  her  eyes  in  astonish 
ment. 


UNDERCURRENTS.  $31 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  have  heard  it  several  times,  but  people 
will  talk  whether  they  know  anything  or  not-  I  am 
glad  Mrs.  Hayden  mentions  it  for  that  is  enough  to 
show  there  is  absolutely  no  foundation  for  such  state- 
ments." Grace  moved  her  chair  and  put  her  elbow  on 
the  table  so  she  might  shade  her  eyes  with  her  hand. 

"  Why,  I  don't  see  how  people  can  say  such  things ; 
surely  the  tendency  is  to  draw  families  into  closer  bonds 
of  sympathy  and  affection,"  exclaimed  Kate,  in  ques- 
tioning innocence. 

"  It  ought  to  be,"  replied  Grace,  thoughtfully,  "  and 
undoubtedly  is,"  she  added. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  this  question,  Grace  ? " 
Kate  ventured  to  ask.  At  any  other  time  she  would 
not  have  dared  approach  the  subject,  but  Grace  seemed 
more  pliable  to-night  for  some  reason. 

"  What  question  ?  "  asked  Grace,  rousing  from  her 
reverie.  "Oh,  marriage.  Well,  sometimes  I  have 
thought  the  query  going  the  rounds  of  the  press,  '  Is 
marriage  a  failure? '  a  very  pertinent  one,  but  of  course 
that  doesn't  touch  the  principle  itself.  That  is  right 
and  can  never  be  otherwise." 

"  Most  people  talk  and  write  as  seriously  as  though 
it  does  touch  the  principle." 

"  That  is  because  they  judge  the  principle  by  the 
persons  representing  it,  whereas  they  should  stop  and 
consider  that  humanity  is  prone  to  weakness  and  often 
fails  to  demonstrate  its  high  ideals." 

"  And  it  is  because  of  failure  they  think  there  is 
something  wrong.  Take  an  individual  case,  for  instance, 
and  there  are  thousands.  If  a  girl  marries  unhappily, 


tS8  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

she  thinks  there  must  be  something  wrong  in  the 
whole  system,  for  she  judges  everybody's  misery  by 
her  own,"  said  Kate,  secretly  wishing  Grace  would  be 
more  confidential,  and  not  so  coldly  intellectual. 

"  Then  the  way  to  a  happy  judgment  of  this  ques- 
tion would  be  a  happy  marriage,  you  think? "  laughed 
Grace,  with  a  faint  blush,  looking  up  inquiringly. 

"Don't  trifle  Grace.  You  know  I  said  it  all 
earnestly,  and  really  it  is  no  matter  to  trifle  over,  any 
way." 

"Well,  that  is  true,  Kate,"  replied  Grace  more 
soberly.  "  I  don't  believe  anybody  takes  the  question 
seriously  enough.  It  is  certainly  the  most  important 
of  all  things  to  consider." 

"Do  you  think  it  right  to  enter  marriage  for  any 
other  reason  than  pure  and  devoted  affection  ? "  per- 
sisted Kate. 

"  No,  I  do  not.  Why  do  you  ask  ? "  demanded 
Grace  rather  sharply. 

'"Because  that  is  the  solution  of  the  whole  problem. 
If  they  would  begin  to  talk  about  love  instead  of 
marriage  being  a  failure,  they  would  get  some  light  on 
it,"  a  little  impatiently. 

Grace  looked  up  in  surprise. 

"  I  know,"  continued  Kate,  "  it  is  because  people  are 
mistaken  or  misled  in  their  reasons  for  marriage,  that 
it  even  has  a  semblance  of  failure." 

"That  is  one  reason,  certainly,  and  another  is  that 
they  do  not  understand  each  other's  motives,  or  have 
not  the  patience  to  bear  with  each  other's  faults.  AVe 
can  easily  see  how  misunderstandings  can  be  put  away 


UNDERCURRENTS.  233 

when  there  is  true  love,  when  we  determine  to  see  only 
the  good,  and  learn  to  'resist  not  evil.'  That  is  one  of 
the  strong  points  in  Christian  Science  teachings,"  said 
Grace  with  unwonted  earnestness. 

"  I  am  so  sorry  people  can't  see  it  in  the  right 
light,"  added  Kate,  regretfully. 

"You  can  have  much  charity  for  them,  for  it  is  just 
what  you  would  have  said  or  thought,  if  you  had  not 
studied  the  matter  yourself.  You  remember  how  Mr. 
Xarrow  influenced  you  and  biased  your  judgment?1' 

"  Yes,  and  I  see  as  never  before  that  the  '  Truth 
makes  us  free.' 

'  He  is  a  freeman  whom  the  truth  makes  free. 
And  all  are  slaves  besides,'" 

said  Grace,  as  she  reached  for  the  sketch  book  to  look 
over  her  work  of  the  afternoon. 

"  It  is  no  use,  she  never  will  say  anything,  even 
when  she  might,"  thought  Kate  as  she  reviewed  the 
events  of  the  past  few  days.  She  half  reproached 
herself  for  allowing  anything  to  take  her  mind  from 
the  one  special  theme  in  which  at  last  she  had  become 
thoroughly  interested.  She  was  eager  to  learn,  to 
search  in  all  directions  for  the  meaning  of  things. 
Slowly  the  little  grain  of  faith  was  growing  into  the 
mighty  tree. 

Enchanting  Truth  so  round,  so  perfect,  so  beautiful, 
—no  wonder  we  must  reach  out  in  every  direction  for 
the  knowledge  of  thy  fair  signs  that  we  may  more 
correctly  and  more  fully  realize  the  perfect  revealment 
of  our  own  divinity. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

".What  a  great  power  is  the  power  of  thought!  And  what  a 
grand  being  is  man  when  he  uses  it  aright;  because  after  all,  it 
is  the  use  made  of  it  that  is  the  important  thing.  Character 
comes  out  of  thought.  '  As  a  man  thinketh  in  his  heart,  so 
he  is.'  "  —  Sir  Walter  Raleigh. 

"  MARLOW,  October  --  . 

BEAR  HUSBAND  :  I  was  just  thinking  of  you 
all  when  the  letter  carrier  came  this  morning 
and  gave  me  a  welcome  surprise,  for  your  letters  usually 
come  in  the  afternoon.  It  seems  too  wonderful  to 
believe  about  the  children,  and  yet  I  can  see  it  is  their 
implicit  faith  that  makes  their  words  so  potent. 

"They  are  doing  their  part  to  help  too,  for  every  one 
in  the  world,  large  or  small  helps  in  greater  or  lesser 
measure  to  carry  out  the  plans  of  the  invisible  Good. 

"  I  dreamed  of  being  at  home  last  night,  and  it 
seemed  as  though  you  were  all  so  happy  and  busy. 
You  did  not  see  me.  Even  little  Jem  was  busily 
engaged  in  some  kind  of  work.  I  could  scarcely  see 
what  it  was,  but  a  vague  white  something  like  an 
invisible  net  was  spread  between  you,  and  the  thought 
came  that  you  and  Anna  were  weaving  something,  and 
even  the  children  had  a  part  to  fulfill  for  they  Hit  ted 
to  and  fro,  bringing  something  to  you  with  faces  so 
full  of  light  and  happiness,  I  almost  cried  out  with 


"  When  I  awoke  I  was  deeply   impressed  that  this 
was  a  symbol  of  united  effort  in  making  the  seamless 


THE  POWER  OF  THOUGHT.  235 

robe  of  Truth,  and  the  family  group  represented  the 
members  of  one  body,  each  with  a  work  to  do  to  per- 
fect the  whole. 

"  No  matter  how  humble  our  part  may  be,  no 
matter  how  childish  and  incompetent  we  feel,  by  doing 
the  best  we  know,  with  the  ability  we  have,  in  all  joy 
and  earnestness,  we  shall  be  serving  the  Master  and 
weaving  the  marvelous  robe. 

"  Mrs.  Pearl  talked  of  the  mighty  power  of  thought 
in  her  lecture  to-day. 

"Every  individual  in  the  universe  is  inseparably 
connected  with  every  other  individual,  and  we  are,  as  it 
were,  'touching  elbows'  with  the  whole  world. 

"How  is  it  done?  Simply  by  thinking  and  being 
susceptible  to  thought.  Every  thought  of  the  individ- 
ual helps  to  make  or  mar  the  happiness  and  health  of 
the  world.  Every  negative  thought  (and  bythat  I 
mean  opposite  the  good,  which  is  positive)  sent  forth, 
goes  into  the  miasmatic  fog  of  error,  and  whoever  believes 
in  error  or  the  reality  of  these  thoughts,  attracts  to 
himself  this  quality  of  thought,  which  sooner  or  later, 
makes  itself  manifest  in  physical  inharmony. 

"  For  instance,  one  who  believes  in  the  reality  of 
sickness  and  the  reality  of  evil  is  constantly  attracting 
thoughts  that  make  sickness  manifest,  but  if  a  knowl- 
edge of  how  to  throw  off  or  counteract  those  thoughts 
were  used,  the  cloud  would  be  dispelled  before  it  turned 
into  inharmony  or  sickness. 

"  This  is  why  we  are  taught  to  deny  every  thought 
or  feeling  that  is  not  harmonious  or  desirable,  every- 
thing which  can  not  be  predicated  of  spirit.  If  this  is 


S3G  Till':  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

what  makes  sickness  and  sin,  truly  it  is  not  to  be  won- 
dered at,  for  how  many  are  perfectly  happy,  perfectly 
unselfish  and  kind,  one  single  day  at  a  time  2 

"Suppose one  gets  up  in  the  morning  with  a  feeling 
of  crossness  and  impatience;  he  goes  to  breakfast, 
impresses  the  wrhole  family  with  his  discomfort,  and  so 
through  the  entire  day  leaves  the  imprint  of  his  dark 
forebodings  on  every  person  who  sees  him,  besides  the 
untold  influence  that  goes  forth  to  the  unprotected 
world,  inasmuch  as  thoughts  go  everywhere. 

"  He  retires  at  night,  disgusted  with  himself  and 
displeased  with  the  whole  world.  People  were  unkind 
and  unjust.  Even  inanimate  objects  were  unusually 
aggravating.  He  wasted  half  an  hour  trying  to  untie 
a  knot,  hunted  for  a  package  of  papers  which  were 
finally  found  in  their  proper  place,  had  a  vexing  ten 
minutes  with  his  office  key,  etc. 

"  Every  impatient  thought,  word  or  action  was  an 
expenditure,  not  only  of  physical  force,  but  a  loss  of 
moral  strength,  and  just  as  surely  as  the  world  moves, 
these  thoughts,  in  their  revolving  circuit,  constantly 
return  to  the  thinker,  'Whatsoever  ye  sow,  that  shall 
ye  also  reap.' 

"  Who  knows  what  dark  trains  of  thought  his 
lowering  face  suggested  ?  Who  knows  what  head- 
aches and  heartaches  were  brought  on  by  the  uncon- 
scious absorption  of  his  impatience  or  bitterness?  Who 
can  measure  the  extent  of  that  m}Tsterious  burden  of 
depression,  so  often  called  'the  blues,'  that  crept  into 
the  consciousness  of  somebody  under  the  influence  of 
the  <l;irk  thoughts  sent  out  by  this  one,  of  whom  per- 
chance thev  know  nothing  ' 


THE  POWER  OF  THOUGHT.  237 

"  It  is  this  negative  quality  of  thought  that  holds 
the  world  in  bondage.  To  destroy  it  is  to  destroy  all 
inharmony.  On  the  other  hand,  note  the  influence  of 
the  happy-voiced  individual,  who  comes  to  us  so  run- 
ning over  with  the  joy  and  beauty  of  life  that  we  catch 
the  thrilling  inspiration  of  his  mood  and  begin  to  enjoy 
the  same  sunshine,  see  the  same  beauty  and  feel  the 
same  happiness. 

"  One  look  or  one  word  may  often  send  us  off  into 
the  most  delightful  reveries,  may  inspire  us  to  write  a 
cheery  letter,  vibrating  with  love  and  hope,  or  prompt 
us  to  spend  half  an  hour  with  one  who  needs  the  bath 
of  joy  our  words  may  bring.  Consciously  and  uncon- 
sciously we  lighten  the  pathway,  lift  the  burdens, 
sanctify  the  sorrows  of  the  world  by  sending  out  and 
receiving  this  subtle  thread  of  thought,  so  tine  in  its 
essence  and  quality,  that  any  one  and  every  one  may 
feel  its  strengthening  presence. 

"  It  is  the  negative  or  mortal  thought  that  produces 
disease.  See  how  grief  bends  and  breaks  the  strongest 
constitutions,  furrows  the  cheek,  dims  the  eye,  takes 
the  appetite,  impairs  the  mind.  See  how  anger  cank- 
ers everything  it  touches,  how  jealousy  corrodes  the 
thoughts  with  poisoned  arrows,  until  the  body  is  writ- 
ten over  with  letters  of  unmistakable  meaning. 

"  The  body  is  what  we  may  call  the  thermometer  of 
the  mind  and  registers  the  quality  of  thought.  Uni- 
versal beliefs  in  error  find  their  common  expression  on 
the  body.  Every  thought  of  sickness,  sin  or  discourage- 
ment is  recorded  or  bodied  forth. 

"  "With  all  our  belief  in  and  fear  of  evil,  sickness 
and  death,  we  are  continually  subjecting  ourselves  to 


tS8  THE  liKillT  KKOCK. 

false  and  undesirable  conditions,  until,  as  Job  said,  '  Lo, 
the  thing  that  I  feared  has  come  upon  me.' 

"Fear  is  more  quickly  productive  of  disease  pictures 
than  any  other  kind  of  thought.  Some  one  has  aptly 
said,  '  if  the  human  race  were  freed  from  fear,  it  would 
be  free  from  sickness,'  which  is  verily  true.  Even  the 
most  learned  doctors  of  medicine  admit  that  an  epi- 
demic takes  hold  of  those  first  who  are  most  afraid,  and 
frequently  leaves  the  absolutely  fearless  unmolested. 

"Why  is  this  so?  Because  fear  weakens  the  power 
of  mental  control,  and  consequently  weakens  the  body. 
To  leave  the  doors  unlocked,  and  then  watch  for  the 
thief,  is  almost  equal  to  having  the  thief  in  the  house. 

"The  material  scientist  says  an  epidemic  has  a 
material  cause;  the  Christian  Scientist  says  it  has  a 
mental  cause.  Before  there  is  an  object  to  fear  there 
must  be  the  sentiment  of  fear.  Let  scarlet  fever  appear 
in  a  community,  and  every  parent  will  immediately 
send  out  the  most  agonizing  thoughts  of  fear.  Where 
will  they  go?  Everywhere,  because  thoughts  can  not 
be  restrained.  Their  influence  goes  out  in  every  direc- 
tion. To  the  tender  children  especially,  because  par- 
ticularly directed  to  them.  All  who  have  left  the  door 
open  to  fear,  though  they  may  be  sleeping  in  their  un- 
consciousness of  danger,  will  be  liable  to  receive  these 
uncontrolled  thoughts,  and  some  day  when  they  least 
expect  or  fear  sickness,  it  may  be  upon  them. 

"  So  the  children,  to  whom  have  been  directed  such 
thoughts,  only  prove  their  susceptibility  to  them,  by 
picturing  forth  fear  in  the  form  of  scarlet  fever,  or 
whatever  may  have  been  the  naming  of  the  error. 
Anybody  manifesting  sickness  without  consciousness  of 


TllK  1>OW EH  OF  THOUGHT.  9SQ 

fear  proves  passive  or  unconscious  fear,  while  those 
suffering  sickness  through  a  conscious  recognition  and 
fear  of  sickness  are  manifesting  active  or  conscious 
fear. 

"There  are  two  departments  of  mind  sometimes 
spoken  of  as  the  conscious  and  unconscious.  The  con- 
scious mind  is  the  conscious  thought,  which  is  easily 
swayed  or  changed.  It  has  an  immediate  or  direct 
influence  on  the  body  as  is  shown  by  the  the  blood 
that  rushes  to  or  recedes  from  the  face  at  some  sudden 
change  of  thought.  The  unconscious  mind  is  the 
aggregation  of  past  individual  and  universal  conscious 
thought,  and  is  the  character  formed,  the  second  nature 
or  instinct. 

"  As  the  flesh  and  bones  are  more  fixed  than  the 
ever  moving  blood,  so  the  unconscious  mind  is  slower  to 
receive  impressions,  and  slower  to  show  them  forth. 
Our  bodies  to-day  are  showing  a  harvest  of  the 
thoughts  of  generations  or  ages  of  the  past.  The  per- 
son manifesting  consumptive  tendencies  is  not  only 
expressing  his  own  conscious  thoughts,  but  is  verita- 
bly the  picture  of  the  thoughts  of  his  parents,  ances- 
tors and  the  entire  race,  concerning  a  belief  in  con- 

O 

sumption.  Year  by  year  the  thoughts  of  this  error 
have  been  writing  themselves  in  his  face,  his  eyes,  his 
chest,  his  very  walk  and  talk  and  breath.  Unless  he 
offsets  them  with  thoughts  of  absolute  Truth,  they 
press  him  out  of  our  sight.  He  yields  to  the  belief  of 
death,  because  he  never  said  no  to  sin  or  sickness, 
because  he  was  at  one  with  the  world  in  its  false 
beliefs. 


-4U  THE  EIGHT  KNOCK. 

" '  The  last  enemy  to  be  overcome  is  death ! '  reads 
the  inspired  statement  of  Paul,  confirmed  and  strength- 
ened by  the  Master's  never-dying  promise,  'If  a  man 
keep  my  saying  lie  shall  never  see  death.' 

"  There  are  certain  fixed  beliefs  inherent  in  every 
mind  which  we  call  universal  beliefs.  They  are  often 
referred  to  as  belonging  to  the  unconscious  mind  :  as, 
for  example,  the  fear  of  pain  or  suffering  under  cer- 
tain circumstances  will  come  to  the  surface  of  con- 
sciousness, proving  that  despite  every  feeling  of  confi- 
dence and  fearlessness  it  has  not  been  destroyed,  but 
sleeps  in  the  unconscious  mind. 

"  These  unconscious  beliefs  and  fears  of  sickness 
are  ultimately  expressed  on  the  body  in  different 
forms  of  disease,  sometimes  given  one  name  and  some- 
times another.  The  material  scientist  calls  a  certain 
outshowing  on  the  body  cancer,  the  Christian  Scientist 
calls  it  the  picture  of  a  belief  of  cancer.  In  this  wax- 
disease  is  always  the  manifestation  of  both  conscious 
and  unconscious  thoughts. 

"  Special  forms  of  disease  are  born  by  constant 
attention  to  the  thought  of  disease  and  their  svmpt< mis. 
It  has  been  stated  on  good  authority  that  physicians 
who  make  a  specialty  of  certain  diseases  are  apt  to  be 
alllicted  with  what  they  have  especially  fitted  them- 
selves to  cure.  In  a  medical  journal  a  case  was  cited 
not  long  since  of  an  eminent  physician  who  read  before 
a  great  convention  of  doctors,  what  was  considered  to 
be  the  ablest  treatise  on  insanity  ever  written.  'On 
going  home  from  the  convention  he  killed  his  wife. 
four  children,  and  then  himself,  in  a  fit  of  dementia/ 


THE  POWER  OF  THOUGHT.  <fyl 

"  This  reveals  a  startling  fact,  which  might  be  cor- 
roborated by  many  others,  that  the  body  ultimately 
pictures  forth  the  idea.  But  the  thought  is  not  con- 
fined to  the  individual.  It  not  infrequently  finds  the 
most  striking  expression  in  some  member  of  the  family 
or  in  any  one  under  his  influence. 

"If  one  man's  thoughts  so  influence  himself,  family 
or  friend,  think  of  the  influence  of  such  thoughts  on 
those  who  go  to  him  for  advice  or  treatment,  those 
who  deliberately  place  themselves  under  his  inspection 
and  allow  themselves  to  be  guided  both  directly  and 
indirectly  by  his  erroneous  opinions.  Think  of  the 
vast  stream  of  such  thoughts  going  out  from  all  medical 
colleges,  students  and  practitioners.  No  wonder  dis- 
eases increase  as  physicians  increase,  as  some  of  the 
best  thinkers  of  the  age  declare. 

"  Not  that  one  class  of  people  is  more  to  be  re- 
flected upon  than  another,  for  some  kind  or  degree  of 
erroneous  thought  is  held  by  all  classes.  Physicians 
talk  sickness  and  death,  ministers  preach  evil  and 
punishment,  the  entire  race  believe  in  and  suffer  for 
sins. 

"  It  is  centuries  since  it  was  first  discovered  that 
ideas  were  transmitted  without  the  ordinarily  accepted 
means  of  communication,  but  to-day  it  is  positively  and 
repeatedly,  yes,  continually  proven  that  thought  trans- 
ference is  not  only  possible  or  probable,  but  an  every- 
day occurrence.  To  realize  that 

'  Thoughts  are  things, 
Endowed  with  being,  breath  and  wings, 
And  that  we  send  them  forth  to  fill 

The  world  with  good  results  or  ill,' 


gjS 


THE  UK.! /IT  A'.V  < '  K. 


is  to  be  mightily  responsible  for  what  we  think.  To 
kno\v  that  we  are  verily  our  brother's  keeper,  and 
that  every  thought  makes  misery  or  happiness  for  the 
whole  world  as  well  aS  for  the  individual,  is  something 
that  should  engage  our  deepest  and  most  earnest  con- 
sideration. 

"  All  thinking  is  for  the  weal  or  woe  of  the  world 
that  is  yet  in  its  infancy  of  knowledge.  As  conscious- 
ness of  truth  takes  the  place  of  consciousness  of  error, 
thoughts  become  light  and  beautiful  and  true  with  cor- 
responding conditions. 

"Let  us  no  longer  slumber  in  the  arms  of  indiffer- 
ence and  ignorance,  but  awake  to  truth  and  righteous- 
ness. 'Better  be  unborn  than  untaught;  for  ignorance 
is  the  root  of  misfortune.'  " 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

"  Blessed  influence  of  one  true,  loving  soul  on  another.  Not  cal- 
culable by  algebra,  not  deductible  by  logic,  but  mysterious, 
effectual,  mighty  as  the  hidden  process  by  which  the  tiny  seed 
is  quickened,  and  bursts  forth  into  tall  stem  and  broad  leaf,  and 
glowing  tasseled  flower. — George  Eliot, 

dear!"  exclaimed  Kate  as  she  laid  down  the 
letter  containing  the  lesson  on  Thought.  "  I 
didn't  know  we  were  so  responsible  for  every  little  thing 
that  comes  into  our  mind." 

"  Or  goes  out  of  it,"  said  Grace,  smiling,  as  she  fin- 
ished tinting  a  dainty  plaque.  "  Now  we  can  under- 
stand that '  where  ignorance  is  bliss,  'tis  folly  to  be 
wise,'  "  she  added  rather  absent-mindedly. 

"  Yes,  but  I  think  I  prefer  the  wisdom  to  the  bliss. 
Do  you  understand  this  lecture  as  well  as  the  rest  ?  " 
asked  Kate,  again  glancing  at  the  letter. 

"  Why  shouldn't  we  ?  It  is  plainly  told,  and  is  a 
natural  sequence  to  the  others.  I  should  think  it  very 
helpful,  and  if  there  really  is  so  much  power  in  thought, 
it  is  time  people  knew  it." 

"  But  what  of  the  people  who  do  not  know  it  ?  Are 
they  utterly  defenseless  ? " 

"  As  long  as  they  believe  in  the  reality  of  sin,  sick- 
ness and  death,  they  must  suffer  from  them,"  replied 
Grace,  picking  a  loose  hair  from  her  blender. 

"  Then  they  ought  to  know  how  to  learn  and  under- 
stand these  things,  but  I  could  not  tell  anybody." 


244  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"We  can  solve  any  problem  by  going  back  and 
reasoning  from  the  premise.  If  any  shock  of  sin  or 
sickness  come  over  us,  we  have  simply  to  remember  the 
spiritual,  which  is  the  only  real  creation.'' 

"It  is  not  so  easily  done  though.  To-day  I  met  the 
most  miserable  looking  cripple  sliding  along  without 
any  limbs.  I  held  my  skirts  aside  as  he  passed,  and 
forgot  to  even  think  of  him  as  God's  child,"  confessed 
Kate,  in  a  regretful  tone. 

"Anything  takes  time,  and  we  can't  expect  to  leap 
into  perfection  at  once,  but  what  did  you  do  after  he 
had  passed?"  asked  Grace,  with  some  curiosity. 

"I  pitied  the  poor  creature  and  wondered  what 
made  him  so." 

"That  was  the  very  way  to  Keep  him  in  the  same 
condition,"  said  Grace,  rapidly  mixing  some  paint. 
"This  last  lesson  very  clearly  explains  that  every  thought 
has  an  influence,  and  that  you  help  to  make  the  body 
manifest  whatever  you  think  of  it.  If  you  think  the 
real  and  true,  you  help  to  make  that  show  forth,  if 
you  only  think  of  the  external  or  apparent  trouble  or 
defr  jt,  and  regard  it  as  the  real,  you  are  harming 
instead  of  helping." 

"I  can  readily  see  that  we  may  affect  ourseives, 
but  it  seems  hard  to  believe  that  we  affect  everybody" 
protested  Kate,  incredulously. 

"It  is  because  we  cannot  realize  the  law  of  thought 
transference.  I  was  reading  just  last  week  about  that. 
An  instance  of  Stuart  C.  Cumberland's  mind-reading 
was  cited.  It  was  wonderful.  And  then  long  ago  I 
read  an  old  book  written  by  Cornelius  Agrippa  about 


AN  UNEXPECTED  MEETING.  245 

it,  but  I  was  not  very  much  interested,  and  did  not 
understand  nor  believe  it  at  the  time,  so  my  memory  is 
not  worth  much  concerning  it." 

"Then  you  really  think  I  added  another  weight  to 
that  unhappy  creature's  burden  of  trouble?'1  cried 
Kate,  in  sharp  surprise." 

"It  Avould  be  best  for  you  to  deny  his  apparent 
conditions  and  affirm  his  real  ones,  and  instead  of 
thoughts  of  pity,  which  are  only  weakening,  you 
could  think  of  happiness  and  contentment.  I  truly 
believe  we  can  learn  to  think  of  people  this  way, 
if  we  only  catch  ourselves  for  correction  every  time 
we  think  wrong." 

tk  How  shall  I  ever  learn  to  bridle  my  thoughts?  " 
was  Kate's  despairing  wail. 

"B\- learning  to  bridle  your  tongue;  I  found  a 
splendid  text-  to-day  on  that  very  theme.  It  is  in 
James  iii:  2.  'If  any  man  offend  not  in  word,  the 
same  is  a  perfect  man,  and  able  to  bridle  the  whole 
body.' 

4-  Why,  it  tells  in  those  few  words  the  substance  of 
all  we  have  learned  in  these  lessons,"  exclaimed  Kate. 

"  Only  we  would  never  have  had  sense  enough  to 
understand  without  the  lessons,"  added  Grace,  with  a 
smile. 

"  They  may  be  likened  to  a  golden  key  that  opens 
royal  .gates,"  said  Kate,  going  to  the  piano  to  play 
while  Grace  was  putting  away  her  paints  and  brushes. 

A  little  later  Grace  went  out  to  mail  a  letter.  As 
she  turned  from  the  post-box,  she  found  herself  face  to 
fuco  with— whom  but  Leon  Carrington  ? 


S46  TUB  RIGHT  KXOCK. 

"Ah,  an  unexpected  pleasure,  Miss  Hall !  "  he  said, 
extending  his  hand  and  warmly  grasping  the  one  she 
slowly  held  out  to  him.  He  looked  searching] y  into 
her  face,  with  clear,  questioning  eyes. 

She  dropped  her  lashes  and  drew  back  with  a  touch 
of  the  old  haughtiness,  murmuring  something  he  could 
not  hear. 

"May  I  have  the  pleasure  of  a  little  walk  with 
you?"  he  asked,  suiting  his  step  to  hers  and  ignoring 
her  apparent  coldness. 

"  Certainly.  How  long  since  you  returned  to  Hamp- 
ton, Mr.  Carrington?"  recovering  herself  as  thev 
walked. 

"  Only  a  few  days  ago.  I  was  called  here  on  busi- 
ness for  my  uncle,  and  will  probably  be  detained  sev- 
eral weeks."  lie  glanced  at  her  as  ho  spoke,  but  she 
gave  no  sign,  only  remarking  it  was  a  lovely  season  of 
the  year  for  a  visit.  They  walked  along,  talking  only 
commonplaces,  until  they  neared  her  home. 

"  Did  you  receive  my  letter,  Miss  Gra — Miss  Hall  ? " 
he  asked,  with  some  unsteadiness  in  his  voice. 

"  Yes,"  she  replied,  shortly.  She  did  not  under- 
stand herself  any  more  than  he  did,  and  was  vexed  to 
find  it  so  impossible  to  throw  off  her  old  proud  ways,  for 
she  really  intended  to  relent  enough,  at  least,  to  have 
an  explanation,  and  possibly — her  thoughts  could  never 
go  farther  than  this,  and  here  she  was,  in  the  same 
imperious  way,  shutting  her  better  self  away  from  even 
a  f'.iir  consideration  of  duty.  These  thoughts  Hashed 
through  her  mind  while  she  walked  on,  apparently  with 
the  greatest  indifference  to  either  his  words  or  his  pn>s- 


AN  UNEXPECTED  MEETING.  247 

ence.  But  with  a  great  effort  she  compelled  herself  to 
say  again,  with  more  warmth,  "I  received  it,  and 
intended  to  answer  before  this,  but — "  She  stopped 
abruptly. 

lie  gratefully  caught  the  morsel  she  had  given,  and 
asked  if  he  might  not  call  the  next  day. 

"  Yes,  you  may  come  at  three,"  she  said,  careful  to 
set  a  time  when  Kate  would  surely  be  out. 

At  the  door  they  parted,  and  as  she  went  up  the 
stairs,  she  wondered  more  than  ever  at  her  hardness, 
for  almost  unconsciously  she  had  given  up  all  doubts  of 
his  honor  as  a  gentleman.  What  was  it'all  about  any- 
way? Nothing  but  a  report  that  he  was  engaged  to  a 
young  lady  at  the  time  he  proposed  to  her,  and  on  the 
testimony  of  a  single  friend,  she  had  allowed  herself  to 
be  miserable,  and  make  another  miserable,  through  this 
foolish  pride  that  she  would  conquer  by  to-morrow 
afternoon. 

What!  would  she  compel  herself  to  so  utterly 
ignore  her  own  nature?  She  leaned  against  the  wall 
half  way  up  the  stairway,  startled  at  this  revelation  of 
herself.  She  did  not  know  she  was  capable  of  such 
changes,  and  yet  the  last  two  weeks  had  greatly  modi- 
fied her  opinions  in  many  things.  .  .  .  Why  should 
it  not  be  so?  If  it  were  right  she  could  be  glad,  and  she 
reverently  felt  that  it  was  right  to  let  the  Truth  erase 
all  errors  and  right  all  wrongs.  To-night  she  would 
deny  away  every  fault  in  her  character,  especially 
pride,  deny  every  obstacle  to  understanding,  and  then 
earnestly  ask  for  guidance,  and  wait  till  it  came,  for  this 
was  truly  a  crisis  in, her  life. 


248  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

The  next  day  she  received  her  guest  with  a  percepti- 
bly softened  manner.  The  hour  was  spent  in  mutual 
explanations,  and  the  renewal  of  a  more  friendly  rela- 
tion on  her  part,  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  Mr.  Car- 
rington,  whose  perseverance  was  surely  worthy  this 
much  reward,  but  Grace  would  go  no  further,  although 
she  gave  him  permission  to  call  again.  She  must  know 
herself  fully  before  another  word  on  the  subject  were 
said.  Marriage  was  a  vague  and  solemn  theme,  some- 
thing to  be  pondered  over  days  and  nights  and  months 
perhaps,  she  thought,  and  said  to  him. 

Mr.  Carrihgton  was  a  man  of  earnest  aim  and  high 
purpose,  thoughtful,  intellectual  and  cultured,  in  every 
way  congenial  to  her,  and  she  was  glad  to  accept  his 
friendship.  That  he  had  loved  her  through  all  her 
coldness  and  neglect,  she  no  longer  doubted,  which  fact 
was  of  no  small  import  in  his  chances  for  her  favor. 
Finding  how  absolutely  false  had  been  the  report  that 
had  caused  her  misjudgment,  she  was  anxious  to  prove 
herself  at  least,  a  friend. 

After  he  was  gone  she  reviewed  the  situation.  Had 
she  gone  too  far  ?  No.  All  was  well.  She  was  con- 
tent. Even  if  it  should  end  in  marriage,  for  marriage 
was  the  highest  symbol  of  perfection  and--.  Wh.it 
the  symbol  meant  was  yet  to  be  revealed,  but  she 
already  knew  that  it  had  a  profound  and  sacred  mean- 
ing. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

"The  study  of  Heredity,  spiritual  anatomy  and  physiology  is 
highest  of  all.  The  key  to  this  study  is  your  own  soul.  Study 
yourself;  -gain  possession  and  mastery  of  your  own  spirit  and 
you  hold  the  key  not  only  to  the  heights  of  liberty,  but  the  key 
that  unlocks  imprisoned  souls." — Mary  Weeks  Burnett  M.  D. 

"  MARLOW,  October . 

Y  DEAE  HUSBAND:  Gradually  the  vision 
broadens  and  we  become  more  accustomed  to 
the  light.  It  is  as  though  we  were  put  into  a  beautiful 
room  filled  with  all  manner  of  lovely  forms  and  dainty 
colors,  flowers  and  perfumes,  where  we  have  groped 
blindfolded  from  one  thing  to  another,  trying  to  form 
some  conception  of  the  surpassing  loveliness,  when 
gradually  the  bandage  is  removed,  layer  by  layer  until 
the  whole  enchanting  scene,  radiant  with  light  is 
revealed  to  our  wondering  gaze,  showing  the  vast 
difference  between  supposition  and  reality. 

"  The  light  grew  clearer  than  ever  to-day, for  we  had 
our  first  practical  hint  on  healing,  inasmuch  as  we  were 
told  how  to  take  up  a  case  for  treatment. 

"We  must  never  forget  that  we  are.  and  wish  to 
remain  as  little  children,  in  our  desire  to  apprehend  and 
understand  Truth.  The  natural  attitude  of  the  child- 
mind  is  one  of  receptivity  and  eager  interest.  Under 
the  guidance  of  wise  parents  he  will  always  be  willing 
and  anxious  to  learn  more  and  more,  continually  grow- 
ing in  wisdom  and  love. 


250  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  Back  to  the  zeal  and  innocence  of  childhood  we 
go  then,  to  learn  the  ever  mysterious  but  ever  charm- 
ing alphabet  of  Truth,  which  leads  us  into  the  kingdom. 

"As  we  present  ourselves  in  the  great  school  room 
of  life,  and  take  or  recognize  our  appointed  place 
beside  the  ever  present  School-master,  we  learn  the  let- 
ters of  the  grand  knowledge  that  shall  teach  us  how  to 
read  £he  most  learned  books,  understand  the  deepest 
philosophy,  the  profoundest  science,  the  divinest 
religion.  We  would  learn  the  ministry  of  healing,  that 
will  set  free  the  '  spirits  in  prison  ;'  we  would  be  glad 
messengers  of  the  gospel  of  peace.  The  door  to  great 
attainments  is  faithfulness  in  small  ones. 

"  There  are  three  kinds  or  modes  of  healing.  The 
first  or  lowest,  is  the  intellectual ;  tbe  second  or  next 
higher,  the  intuitional;  the  third  and  highest,  the  spir- 
itual. The  first  only  can  be  taught,  the  other  two  are 
attained  by  individual  development.  The  first  conies 
by  reason,  the  second  by  faith,  the  third  by  understand- 
ing. The  first  is  by  argument  or  a  system  of  reason- 
ing, the  second  by  implicit  trust  or  confidence  in  the 
Principle,  the  third  by  the  realization  of  Truth  and 
the  speaking  of  the  word  or  perchance,  by  one's  very 
presence. 

•"  But  there  is  nothing  arbitrary  about  this.  The  per- 
son who  never  heard  of  Christian  Science  till  yesterday 
may  have  so  caught  the  fire  of  Truth  that  to-day  he 
stands  at  the  altar  a  priest  instead  of  communicant,  a 
teacher  instead  of  pupil. 

u  Many  just  beginning  their  study  of  this  met  hod 
of  healing  require  explicit  directions  and  explanations 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  251 

of  details,  in  order  to  apply  the  principle,  feeling  that 
they  have  no  intuitional  leadings  and  can  not  depend 
upon  the  invisible  power  because  they  know  so  little 
about  it 

"Wait;  be  patient;  trust.  Remember  that  'he 
who  is  faithful  in  little,  shall  be  made  ruler  over  much.' 
You  need  not  learn  the  rule  if  you  learn  the  principle, 
and  only  so  long  as  you  are  ignorant  of  the  principle 
will  you  need  the  rule.  To  use  the  rule,  as  the  child 
uses  the  chair  in  learning  to  walk,  is  to  grow  strong, 
and  able  to  dispense  with  it ;  to  use  it  as  spectacles  are 
used,  is  to  make  it  indispensable. 

"  If  we  can  not  yet  learn  through  divine  ways,  let 
us  learn  through  human  ways.  The  human  is  inade- 
quate to  express  the  divine,  but  many  nameless  hints 
and  light-gleams  and  sudden  illuminations  will  flash 
upon  the  faithful  worker  all  along  the  way.  Words 
are  signs  of  ideas  and  ideas  are  signs  of  God.  When 
we  think  or  speak  true  words,  we  have  begun  our  mis- 
sion of  healing  or  helpfulness,  and  from  words  we  go 
on  to  the  inexpressible  thrill  of  realization. 

"  We  can  not  tell  when  we  may  thus  change  from 
the  letter  to  the  spirit,  can  not  tell  when  we  come  into 
the  exalted  condition  of  a  spiritual  understanding,  and 
having  received  the  illumination,  we  are  not  to  feel  that 
we  have  grown  above  the  use  of  argument,  for  it  may 
be  necessary  to  go  back  to  the  rule  with  the  very  next 
treatment. 

"Above  all  else  must  the  student  of  this  Science 
guard  against  what  may  be  called  spiritual  pride. 
No  thought  of  supremacy  or  greater  advancement 


'. •-,?  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

sliould  be  harbored  for  a  moment.  All  such  things  are 
clouds  that  obscure  the  light  as  much  as  other  material 
beliefs. 

"  To  gauge  ourselves  by  that  inimitable  thirteenth 
chapter  of  I.  Corinthians  is  to  maintain  the  perfect 
equilibrium  of  a  loving,  charitable  heart,  that  can  heal 
and  bless  all  human-kind,  for  'love  never  faileth.' 

"  We  become,  as  it  were,  the  cleansed  window  pane, 
through  which  shines  the  divine  light  of  Truth.  Could 
we  always  be  the  cleansed  pane,  Truth  would  melt 
away  all  error,  just  as  the  sun  melts  the  frostwork,  but 
being  still  in  the  current  of  human  thought,  we  must 
wait  patiently  for  further  power  to  reveal  the  God- 
likeness. 

"  Wrong  thought  as  the  real  cause  of  disease, 
openes  new  avenues  of  information  ;  but  we  continue 
to  explore  and  discover.  Any  kind  of  thought  opposite 
the  good  is  sure  to  break  forth  into  some  form  of  dis- 
ease-pictures, and  the  question  is,  what  kind  of  thought 
is  it  which  thus  reflects  itself  upon  the  patient's  body? 
All  error  will  produce  pictures  of  error.  The  world's 
naming  of  the  belief  in  heredity  is  the  naming  of  its 
greatest  error,  or  belief  in  sin,  because  that  implies  all 
sins  of  the  flesh  as  manifested  in  the  body. 

"Back  of  all  effect  is  a  cause;  the  disease  is  the 
effect,  the  wrong  thought  is  the  cause.  One  of  the 
great  causes  of  disease  is  sensual  beliefs,  the  appetites 
and  passions  of  the  carnal  man. 

"It  is  error  to  suppose  he  is  subject  to  conditions 
unlike  (iod,  the  Source.  '  lie  lliat  is  born  of  God,  can 
not  sin,  because  his  seed  remaineth  in  him.'  Being  in 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  253 

and  controlled  by  the  universal  thought  current,  the 
error  of  supposition,  he  manifests  it  in  his  condition. 
Supposing  consumption  hereditary,  he  suffers  from  the 
supposition  ;  supposing  impurities  of  the  blood  trans- 
mitted through  the  flesh,  he  finds  it  even  so.  Supposi- 
tion, false  thinking,  being  at  the  bottom  of  all  errone- 
ous conditions,  we  proceed  to  deal  with  them  as  we 
do  with  any  other  errors  or  lies. 

"When  we  seek  for  anything  with  a  desire  to  gain 
happiness,  it  is  because  we  hope  to  gain  what  our  pre- 
vious efforts  have  failed  to  bring  us,  so  the  one  who 
comes  to  be  healed  by  Christian  Science,  comes  with  a 
hope  at  least  that  this  will  bring  the  health  he  has 
sought  in  vain  from  other  sources.  He  has  turned  in 
all  directions  in  response  to  the  advice  received  from 
this  or  that  one  of  the  friendly  advisers,  so  ready  to 
constitute  themselves  the  body  guard  of  the  world. 
He  has  tried  doctors  of  every  school ;  he  has  trav- 
eled east,  west,  north  and  south ;  he  has  plunged 
into  healing  waters  of  all  kinds  and  had  all  kinds  of 
healing  waters  plunged  into  him ;  he  has  been  burned 
and  steamed  and  pounded  and  starved,  till  he  is  finally 
disgusted  enough  to  want  something  that  will  not  harm 
if  it  will  not  cure,  so  he  drags  himself  before  us  with 
possibly  a  gleam  of  hope,  possibly  the  faithlessness  of 
despair,  and  asks  for  a  treatment. 

"And  now  you  wish  to  know  in  what  a  treatment 
consists ;  simply  in  silently  telling  the  patient  the  truth 
about  himself  as  God's  child,  in  giving  him  the  princi- 
ples we  have  learned  concerning  God  and  man,  and 
ViTih  earnest  gladness  assuring  him  of  his  freedom. 


25^  THE  RTC, ITT  KNOCK. 

For  the  benefit  of  the  young  practitioner,  we  will  give 
a  few  directions  or  suggestive  treatments. 

"We  ask  the  patient  for  a  statement  of  his  belief, 
which  Le  is  only  too  glad  to  give  with  elaborate  and 
vivid  details.  We  meet  every  statement  with  an  em- 
phatic mental  denial. 

"The  faithful  student  who  has  fasted  and  prayed 
(denied  and  affirmed),  is  now  the  embodiment  of  one 
vast  negative  that  should  wipe  out  the  positive  belief  of 
any  in  harmony.  The  patient,  being  in  the  belief  of 
false  conditions,  is  of  one  mind  writh  the  world,  and  so 
reflects  the  beliefs  of  mankind.  That  we  may  be  sure 
of  meeting  all  classes  of  false  beliefs,  we  deny  for  him 
the  reflection  of  any  false  conceptions  of  himself  from 
the  race,  his  parents  and  ancestors,  his  friends  and 
associates,  himself  and  ourself,  for  we  are  still  one 
with  humanity. 

"Everybody  has  a  conscious  or  unconscious  belief 
in  heredity,  and  since  it  is  one  of,  if  not  the  most  for- 
midable of  human  beliefs,  we  deal  with  it  first  as  the 
possible  cause  of  our  patient's  belief  in  suffering. 

"After  he  has  finished  the  statement  of  his  condi- 
tion, we  say  to  him  mentally :  '  James  Martin  !  Hear 
what  I  say,  for  I  tell  you  absolute  truth.  Not  one 
word  of  all  this  you  have  told  me  about  dyspepsia  is  t  rue, 
because  the  carnal  mind,  to  which  you  have  been  lis- 
tening, is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  and  you,  the 
spiritual,  immortal  you,  are  subject  to  the  mind  of  the 
spirit  which  recognizes  the  spiritual  creation,  therefore 
your  spiritual  self  can  not  be  sick  or  suffer  from  any 
inluvrmony. 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  255 

"'This  carnal  mind  belief  named  dyspepsia  is  not 
a  condition  of  your  real  self.  The  belief  of  the  race, 
ancestors,  daily  associates,  yourself  or  myself  in  hered- 
ity and  the  sensual  appetites  can  not  be  pictured  forth 
by  your  body  in  the  form  of  dyspepsia,  because  the  real 
you  is  spiritual  and  not  subject  to  material  beliefs.  It 
is  utterly  impossible  for  you,  who  are  spiritual,  to  be 
influenced  by  any  thought  that  is  opposite  the  spiritual, 
as  it  is  impossible  for  the  light  to  coalesce  with 
darkness. 

u '  You  are  God's  child,  made  in  His  image  and  like- 
ness, and  must  be  perfect  like  Him,  for  His  conditions 
are  changeless  and  eternal.  Listen  to  this  glad  mes- 
sage that  tells  you  absolute  Truth.  Realize  that  as 
God's  child  you  can  not  suffer,  for  spirit  knows  no  suf- 
fering. You  can  not  be  weak,  for  God  is  your  strength ; 
you  can  not  fear  anything,  for  God  is  your  refuge  and 
fortress.  '  God  hath  not  given  us  the  spirit  of  fear, 
but  of  love  and  of  power  and  of  sound  mind.' 

" '  Listen  to  me ! — The  '  Truth  sets  free.' — Now,  you 
are  free.  You  gladly  acknowledge  the  truth,  and 
prove  it  in  every  thought,  word  and  deed.  Like 
the  Master,  I  say  unto  you,  'Lazarus,  come  forth!' 
Come  out  of  the  errors  in  which  you  have  been  so 
long  entombed,  throw  off  the  grave  clothes  of  mortal 
thought,  and  rise  to  new  thoughts,  new  conditions,  a 
new  life!  Eejoice  that  you  are  whole,  and  let  the 
world  rejoice  with  you.  .  .  .  It  is  finished.  In  the 
hands  of  omnipresent  Good,  in  the  name  of  immacu- 
late Truth,  I  leave  you. 

" '  So  may  this   be  established,  yea,  it  is  already 


£56  Till-:  RWIIT 

established.     I   thank  Thee,    Father,   that   thou    hast 
heard  me.' 

********* 

"This  lesson,  John,  is  very  hard  to  report.  I  find 
so  many  questions  suggested  to  my  mind,  and  so  many 
if  s  and  but's. 

"Mi's.  Pearl  desired  us  each  to  take  up  a  case  for 
absent  treatment,  some  one  we  would  like  to  help, 
and  from  whom  we  could  hear  everyday  or  so,  or  who 
would  be  under  our  personal  notice.  I  am  going  to 
treat  a  little  boy  in  the  house  where  I  board.  It  is 
quite  a  severe  case  of  catarrh. 

"I  wish  you  would  take  a  case,  too.  Just  try  this 
form  of  treatment  that  I  have  given.  It  may  not  seem 
clear  to  you  at  first,  but  it  is  not  the  words  you  are  to 
remember  so  much  as  the  ideas.  Get  the  thought 
firmly  fixed  in  your  mind,  and  the  words  will  come  of 
themselves. 

"  You  readily  see  it  is  using  the  same  principle  with 
the  patient  that  has  been  applied  in  self  training.  First, 
the  denial  of  all  error,  and  then  the  allinnution  of 
truth.  This  treatment  is  for  any  chronic  condition, 
and  is  given  twice  a  day,  in  the  morning  and  at  night. 

"  Now,  I  must  say  good-night.  It  is  nearly  eleven, 
and  I  really  ought  to  say  my  denials  and  affirmations 
some  more,  besides  giving  my  patient  the  treatment. 

"  With  many  kisses  to  the  dear  ones, 

"  I  am  your  loving  MARION." 


CHAPTER   XXXI. 

"Once  let  friendship  be  given  that  is  born  of  God,  nor  time  nor  cir- 
cumstance can  change  it  to  a  lessening;  it  must  be  mutual 
growth,  increasing  trust,  widening  faith,  enduring  patience,  for- 
giving love,  unselfish  ambition  and  an  affection  built  before  the 
Throne,  which  will  bear  the  test  of  time  and  trial." 

— Allen  Throckmorton. 

seems  to  me,  Grace,  you  have  been  touching  up 
your  complexion  with  some  of  the  same  paint  as 
that  in  your  roses,"  exclaimed  Kate,  playfully,  as  she 
inspected  Grace  rather  critically. 

"  Really,  Kate,  you  must  be  more  careful,  or  I  shall 
add  the  sin  of  vanity  to  my  other  faults,,"  answered 
Grace,  looking  out  of  the  window  and  smiling  pleas- 
antly, with  the  least  touch  of  absent  mindedness  in  her 
manner. 

"No  danger  of  that, you  dear  old  Gracious,  but  if 
you  should  say  secretiveness,  I  might  be  willing  to 
stop,"  said  Kate,  boldly,  yet  hardly  daring  to  look 
toward  the  window. 

Grace  did  not  answer,  but  continued  looking  out  of 
the  window  for  several  minutes.  "  What  makes  you 
say  that,  Kate?"  she  asked  at  last,  turning  around 
soberly,  while  the  rosy  flush  crept  up  to  her  temples 
and  back  of  her  ears. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know,  Gracious,  only  it  seems  to  me 
you  are  like  a  pure  white  lily  bell,  and  I  want  to  creep 
into  your  heart  and  live  in  its  fragrance,  but — '  She 
stopped  abruptly.  It  seemed  as  though  the  almost 

257 


258  Till-:  liH;UT  KNOCK. 

imperceptible  veil  of  reserve  was  falling  lower  than 
ever. 

Oh,  why  could  she  not  gain  Grace's  confidence  ? 
These  thoughts  passed  rapidly  through  her  mind  Avhile 
she  stood  as  if  transfixed,  waiting  for  Grace  to  break 
the  interminable  silence.  If  she  had  only  known  it, 
Grace  was  nearer  to  her  at  that  moment  than  ever 
before,  but  with  her  eyes  cast  down,  she  saw  not  the 
yearning  look  on  the  face  of  her  friend. 

Grace  spoke  at  last : 

"But  what,  Kate?"  she  asked,  taking  up  Kate's 
words  where  they  had  dropped. 

"  But  the  petals  will  not  open,  and  I  am  left  out," 
finished  Kate,  determined  to  be  frank. 

Grace  looked  out  of  the  window  again,  and  was 
about  to  reply,  when  a  rap  at  the  door  startled  them 
both.  It  was  a  boy  with  a  note.  "  Miss  Grace  Hall  ? " 
he  said,  handing  it  to  her. 

Grace  looked  at  the  letter  and  then  at  the  boy 
inquiringly.  "  I  am  to  wait  for  an  answer,"  he  said. 

"  Oh,"  she  murmured,  in  a  dazed  way,  and  hastened 
to  find  pen  and  paper  for  reply. 

"More  mystery !  I  declare,  it  is  getting  interest- 
ing," thought  Kate,  recovering  herself,  as  she  furtively 
watched  the  rosy  face  of  Grace. 

"  Any  answer  ?  "  asked  the  boy  as  he  took  the  note. 

"  No."  The  door  was  shut  and  Grace  sat  down 
beside  the  picture  she  had  been  working  upon,  but 
presently  arose  and  began  pacing  the  room.  Kate 
looked  up  at  her  as  she  passed,  but  said  nothing.  She 
could  see  that  some  deep  thought  was  struggling  for 
utterance,  and  wondered  much. 


CONFIDENCES.  259 

After  a  few  moments  Grace  stopped  beside  her. 
"I  wish  I  might  speak  freely  to  you,  Kathie,  but — " 
she  hesitated,  "  but  it  has  never  been  natural  for  me  to 
be  confidential,  and  — ' 

She  began  her  promenade  again,  but  presently  came 
back,  and  drawing  her  chair  close  up  to  Kate,  told  her 
the  whole  story,  with  long  pauses  and  much  hesitating 
speech. 

"And  now  he  is  in  the  city  ;he  —  wants  an  answer. 
He  has  invited  me  to  —  ride  with  him  —  to-morrow." 

"  Surely,  you  will  not  refuse  him  that  privilege  ? " 
cried  the  impetuous  Kate,  with  visions  of  a  romance 
unfolding  in  thrilling  chapters  before  her  very  eyes. 

"No,  of  course  not,"  in  a  low  tone,  "but  how  shall 
I  answer  him  ?  "  The  last  was  scarcely  audible.  It 
seemed  almost  as  though  she  spoke  to  herself.  With 
her  forefinger  she  idly  traced  some  hieroglyphics  on 
her  lap. 

"  What  says  your  heart,  my  Lily  bell  ?  "  asked  Kate, 
softly,  as  she  caressed  the  hand  that  was  at  liberty. 

" '  The  prisoned  bird  doth  ofttimes  sing,  but  never 
at  the  bidding  of  its  jailer,'  "  was  the  low  reply,  with  a 
faint  smile,  but  tearful  eyes. 

"Poor  Lilybell;  she  can  not  bloom  before  her 
time.  I  can  wait  for  her  to  open  now,  for  I  am  close  to 
her  throbbing  heart.  Wait,  dear  Grace.  Let  us  sit 
silently  and  ask  the  Father  for  guidance." 

Sweet  and  solemn  moment,  when  with  one 
accord,  they  Avaited  for  the  Spirit  to  pour  out  the  full 
vials  of  love  and  wisdom.  It  was  a  precious  time  of 
sweet  communion,  of  giving  and  receiving  the  best,  a 


S60  THE  RIGUT  KNOCK 

consecration  of  self  to  better  efforts,  higher  aims, 
holier  living;  a  baptism  of  strength  and  peace  and 
lovely  thoughts. 

Grace  had  entered  upon  a  new  epoch.  The  past, 
with  its  longings  and  struggles,  its  loneliness  and  bitter- 
ness, was  already  fading  into  the  background  of  mem- 
ory like  some  dark,  ill-favored  picture,  and  in  its  place 
came  the  present,  with  its  balmy  atmosphere  and 
dainty  colorings,  promising  joy  and  peace.  The  morn- 
ing looked  fair.  How  would  be  the  noon  and  even- 
tide? 

Ah,  no  questioning  when  you  ask  the  Father's  guid- 
ance !  Have  you  not  asked,  dear  heart  ? 

"Wait  till  the  answer  comes.  Wait  till  the  soundless 
message  is  delivered  into  your  heart's  safe  keeping.  .  . 

The  last  beams  of  the  setting  sun  came  through  the 
window  and  bathed  them  in  its  red-gold  glory.  In  her 
exalted  mood,  it  seemed  to  Kate  like  a  heavenly  vision. 
She  saw  Grace  glorified  with  a  divine  radiance,  bap- 
tized with  a  new  peace.  White-winged  angels  hovered 
near,  like  pure  thoughts  personified.  Every  glinting 
sunbeam  seemed  a  golden  shaft  of  love. 

The  glory  paled  into  a  mellow  twilight.  The 
enchanting  picture  faded,  but  the  essence  of  its  beauty 
changed  into  a  heart-melody  of  softened  sacred  joy. 
What  but  music  could  speak  in  this  hallowed  moment? 

Kate's  very  soul  would  utter  itself.  She  went  to 
the  piano  as  in  a  dream.  Soft,  low  notes,  faint  and 
sweet,  breathed  of  tender  questionings  and  tremulous 
doubts;  then  a  higher,  more  triumphant  strain  of  vic- 
tory swelled  the  notes  that  lingered  but  a  moment,  ere 


CONFIDENCES.  £61 

a  tone  of  sadness  and  regret  struck  the  keys,  whisper- 
ing of  sacred  duty  and  solemn  responsibility.     .     .     . 
Again  the  music  changed.     Now  peace  and  joy  thrilled 
and  rippled  through  the  melodious  chords.     .     .     . 

Dearer  than  ever  was  the  friendship  thus  cemented 
They  had  been  caught  up  to  heaven,  as  it  were,  and 
that  which  had  been  bound  on  earth  was  now  bound  in 
heaven. 

"  Mystical  more  than  magical,  is  the  communing  of 
soul  with  soul,  both  looking  heavenward.  Here,  prop- 
erly, soul  first  speaks  with  soul ;  for  only  in  looking 
heavenward,  take  it  in  what  sense  you  may,  not  look- 
ing earthward,  does  what  we  can  call  union,  mutual 
love,  society,  begin  to  be  possible." 

They  sat  till  late  into  the  night,  discussing  and 
considering  all  phases  of  life  and  its  problems. 

Kate  read  Mrs.  Hay  den's  letter,  which  in  the  agita- 
tion and  excitement  of  the  first  part  of  the  evening  she 
had  quite  forgotten.  Because  of  their  deep  earnestness 
they  were  well  prepared  to  catch  the  healing  mood.  This 
experience  seemed  indeed  the  shower  that  most  opened 
the  blossom  of  understanding,  and  ere  they  slept,  each 
had  taken  some  poor  suffering  mortal  into  her  care  as  a 
patient.  The  blessings  they  had  received  were  already 
being  passed  to  the  waiting  neighbor. 

It  is  the  deep,  unselfish  God-love  that  takes  the 
world  in  its  embrace.  To  perceive,  feel,  live  the  divine 
Love,  is  to  have  broken  the  old  shell  of  selfishness, 
when  we  may  begin  to  send  the  tender  rootlets  of 
being  into  the  ready  soil  of  the  universe. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

"  The  power  to  bind  and  loose  to  Trutli  is  given! 
The  mouth  that  speaks  it  is  the  mouth  of  Heaven. 
The  power,  which  in  a  sense  belongs  to  none, 
Thus  understood  belongs  to  every  one." 

—  Abraham  Coles. 

"  Thro'  envy,  thro'  malice,  thro'  hating, 

Against  the  world,  early  and  late, 
No  jot  of  our  courage  abating  — 
Our  part  is  to  work  and  to  wait." 

—  Anon. 

MAR  LOW,  October — 


ones  at  home :  Your  letters  were  all  re. 
ceived  this  afternoon.  Am  pleased  to  know  that 
Mabel  is  so  interested,  for  it  will  help  her  so  much  in 
her  studies  and  work.  I  must  begin  my  daily  report 
at  once,  as  there  is  not  much  time  before  class. 

"  There  was  no  lesson  yesterday,  and  about  noon 
Mrs.  Dawn  came  after  me  to  go  with  her  and  Mrs. 
Browning,  her  hostess,  to  the  dentist's,  as  Mrs.  Brown- 
ing had  to  have  a  tooth  extracted.  We  started,  treat- 

CJ  ' 

ing  her  all  the  way  with  the quieting,reassuring  thoughts 
that  allay  fear.  Before  she  went  in  we  agreed  to  hold 
that  thought. 

"When  Mrs.  Browning  went  into  the  office,  we  re- 
mained in  the  waiting  room  thinking  as  intently  as 
possible : 

'"There  is  not  a  thing  to  fear,  Lida  Browning,  then? 
is  no  tooth-ache  with  your  real  self,  there  is  no  sensation 

S6S 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION  263 

in  matter.  You  can  entertain  nothing  but  the  One  Life. 
The  One  Mind  thinks,  and  you  are  His  idea,  perfect  as 
your  Creator.  Good  is  all,  Love  is  all,  Peace  is  already 
with  you,  for  you  are  one  with  the  Father.' 

.  .  .  "  It  was  done.  The  dentist  was  so  amazed 
that  he  hardly  remembered  to  give  his  patient  a  glass 
of  water. 

"  '  Well,  I  never  knew  a  cuspidate  to  come  so  hard. 
Didn't  it  hurt  terribly?'  he  asked  sympathetically. 

'"Not  a  bit  except  when  you  first  put  on  the 
forceps,'  was  her  prompt  reply  as  she  rinsed  out  her 
mouth.  .  .  . 

"  I  need  say  no  more.  You  can  imagine  our  pleas- 
ure at  this  victory.  We  never  know  how  little  our 
faith  till  we  see  how  astonished  we  are  at  the  demon- 
stration. 

"  You  ask  if  Mrs.  Pearl  has  explained  your  queries. 
A  few  questions  were  handed  in  yesterday,  but  I  had 
not  time  to  put  them  in  my  letter.  One  that  always 
puzzled  us,  Avas :  What  is  the  origin  of  evil  ?  The  ques- 
tions  are  written  on  slips  of  paper  and  laid  on  the 
table.  She  answers  them  before  giving  the  regular 
lesson.  When  she  read  this  slip  there  was  not  a  little 
stir  among  the  fifty  eager  questioners.  *  What  is  the 
origin  of  evil? 'she  repeated.  'It  has  no  origin,' was 
the  unsatisfactory  answer,  after  a  momentary  silence. 
Oh  !  the  blankness  of  those  faces !  '  But,'  she  resumed 
presently, 'if  you  ask  bow  seeming  evil  originated,  I 
may  give  you  the  ideas  that  came  to  me  as  a  solution 
of  that  mortal  mind  question.' 

u  You  know  we  might  ask  questions  of  each  other 


S64  TIIK  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

forever,  but  unless  our  thoughts  are  tinged  with  the 
same  quality,  or  run  in  the  same  direction,  the  satisfac- 
tory answer  to  one  may  not  be  at  all  satisfactory  to 
another.  In  othei  words,  we  will  not  recognixe  the 
same  phase  of  truth,  unless  we  are  in  the  same  stage  of 
development,  so  if  you  are  not  willing  to  take  my 
explanation  as  true,  it  maybe  that  you  are  not  yet 
where  you  can  perceive  it,  or  it  may  be,  you  require  a 
different  illustration  to  convey  the  same  thought,  or, 
there  may  be  innumerable  reasons,  but  of  this  one 
blessed  fact  be  assured :  if  you  hold  yourself  in  the 
receptive  attitude,  and  sincerely  expect  to  be  guided 
by  the  spirit  of  truth,  some  day  the  answer  will  come 
to  you  with  such  irresistible  force  and  plainness  that 
you  can  not  forget  it,  or  ever  be  in  doubt  upon  that 
point  again. 

"  It  was  in  this  way  the  light  came  to  me.  That 
question  had  puxxled  me  more  than  all  else,  and  I  asked 
every  Scientist  whom  I  met  as  to  the  correct  solution. 
For  several  months  I  pondered  and  fretted  over  it.  At 
last,  in  despair,  I  let  it  alone,  resolving  I  would  not  be 
further  troubled.  But  one  day  it  unfolded  itself  so 
clearly  and  beautifully  I  was  completely  satisfied. 

"  Here  it  is:  Taking  the  first  account  of  creation,  we 
find  man  made  in  the  image  and  likeness  of  God,  given 
dominion  over  all  things.  If  we  believe  man  to  be 
spiritual  and  not  material,  if  we  know  that  spirit  can 
not  change  its  character  or  quality,  we  must  know  that 
spiritually  man  never  fell,  but  that  he  sc< nu-<l  to  fall 
through  our  misconception  and  misunderstanding  of 
appearances. 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  265 

"  Man  now  manifests  what  lie  believes  in  ;  his  con- 
sciousness of  truth  is  not  fully  developed  and  he  mis- 
takes appearances  for  realities.  Having  all  possibilities 
of  recognizing  only  the  good,  he  is  perfect.  For  every 
mistake  that  is  made  he  manifests  error,  the  fallen,  or 
rather  the  undeveloped  state.  The  Truth  and  Love 
that  he  manifests  in  his  life,  is  the  revealment  of 
his  God-like  nature.  In  the  glimpses  of  his  true  self  he 
recognizes  his  inheritance  of  power,  and  in  his  mistaken 
conceptions  forgets  to  acknowledge  God.  He  then 
judges  according  to  appearances,  and  says  things  are 
true  because  they  appear  true  to  the  senses. 

u  The  creating  principle  of  life  is  perfect,  but  man 
neglects  to  acknowledge  this  divine  power  in  proportion 
to  his  selfishness.  It  is  therefore  his  selfishness  that 
prevents  him  from  recognizing  the  Good,  and  causes 
him  to  see,  name  and  believe  in  matter  and  its  conse- 
quences ;  and  he  thus  becomes  materially  minded,  and  is 
known  as  the  'Adam'  in  '  whom  all  die.' 

"Ad  am  signifies  error,  clay,  unreality.  Christ  sig- 
nifies Truth,  Spirit,  Ideality.  If  we  believe  in  things 
that  appear  to  be  the  creation,  we  are  believing  in 
nothingness,  which  so  proves  itself  by  death  and  disin- 
tegration. If  we  believe  appearances  to  be  the  sign 
of  the  real,  we  are  acknowledging  the  spiritual  to  be 
the  all,  hence  it  proves  itself  by  making  even  the  body, 
its  sign,  manifest  life,  health,  perfection. 

"If  we  cast  out  all  selfishness,  pure  love  takes  its 
place.  We  must  be  purified  from  the  beliefs  of  the 
world  in  selfishness  and  its  consequences  by  recognizing 
that  our  '  sufficiency  is  of  God/ 


JW  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  This  was  very  plain  to  me,  John,  and  I  hope  you 
will  find  it  so  too,  but  if  you  do  not,  wait,  and  as  soon 
as  you  are  ready  for  it,  the  answer  will  come  to  you. 

"  The  lesson  to-day  was  on  deception  and  personal 
influences.  The  whole  world  lias  been  deceived  into 
believing  man  is  fleshly  instead  of  spiritual,  so  many 
false  thoughts  and  beliefs  have  arisen,  which  are  the 
cause  of  all  disease  and  trouble.  Universally  we  are 
deceived,  individually  we  are  deceived,  and  it  is  not 
only  because  we  are  making  our  beliefs  visible  on  the 
body,  but  because  we  suffer  from  them  mentally  and 
physically  that  it  is  necessary  to  discover  what  they 
are  and  cast  them  out. 

"The  term  deception  will  cover  the  mistakes 
believed  and  made  in  ignorance,  and  deceit  fulness 
will  include  the  beliefs  in  and  expression  of  deceitful- 
ness.  On  the  second  day  the  patient  is  treated  for  the 
world's  next  greatest  beliefs,  which  are  deception  and 
deceitful  ness,  and  as  before,  we  set  him  free  from  this 
belief,  as  possibly  reflected  or  absorbed  through  one  or 
more  or  all  of  these  five  avenues  we  mentioned  in  the 
first  treatment. 

"  Because  the  world  has  admitted  the  first  great  He, 
that  the  material  creation  is  the  true  one,  or  synony- 
mous with  the  true,  we  have  'yielded  ourselves  servants 
to  sin,'  hence  will  see  the  consequences  of  such  false 
conclusion,  until  we  deny  the  lie  and  affirm  the  truth. 

'  Oh  what  a  tangled  web  we  weave, 
When  first  we  practice  to  deceive,' 

is  a  couplet  I  remember  learning  long  ago,  when  I  was 
a  child,  and  ho\v  applicable   it    is   to  this   problem   of 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  267 

deception.  Truly,  it  is  a  tangled  web,  and  the  only 
way  to  get  it  untangled  is  to  break  off  the  thread  and 
go  back  to  the  beginning  where  we  can  truly  say,  I 
am  created  free  and  perfect  and  whole  in  His  image, 
and  can  not  be  influenced  by  anything  different  from 
Him. 

"  This  is  always  spiritually  true,  but  if  we  deal 
with  the  worldly  beliefs,  we  find  that  according  to 
appearances,  we  are  under  the  influence  of  our  own  and 
every  other  person's  wrong  thought.  We  say  of  some 
people,  'how  happy  I  am  in  their  company,  how  it  up- 
lifts me  to  be  in  their  presence.'  With  others  we  feel 
a  nameless  depression,  a  fearful,  unhappy  feeling,  and 
shun  their  company.  As  Emerson  so  aptly  says: 
'  With  some  I  walk  among  the  stars,  whilst  others  pin 
me  to  the  wall.' 

"  Now,  in  reality,  no  good  ever  comes  from  personal 
influence,  although  in  the  first  instance  it  might  seem 
so.  Personal,  from  the  word  persona,  a  mask,  is  only 
appliod  to  the  physical  self  or  carnal  mind  ;  therefore 
we  can  receive  no  benefit  from  the  personal  quality  of 
our  friend,  but  we  are  benefited  and  uplifted  by  his 
freedom  from  personality,  or  in  other  words  by  the 
divine  individuality  flowing  through  him  and  expressed 
by  his  benevolence,  his  love,  his  cheerfulness,  his  wis- 
dom. Inasmuch  as  he  is  free  from  personal  or  selfish 
thoughts,  he  is  filled  and  permeated  with  gifts  from 
the  divine  Fountain  of  all  benevolence,  all  love,  all 
cheerfulness,  all  wisdom. 

"There  is  a  difference  between  personality  and 
individuality  which  most  people  do  not  recognize. 


268  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

Personality  only  pertains  to  the  physical,  while  indi- 
viduality is  the  term  properly  applied  to  the  spiritual 
self.  'There  is  but  one  Mind,  the  Universal  Mind, 
which,  if  we  can  lay  hold  on,  will  give  us  all  knowl- 
edge, wisdom  and  power,'  said  Emerson. 

"  When  we  can  throw  aside  a  belief  in  personality, 
or  personal  influence,  we  will  be  free.  The  negative 
thoughts  sent  out  by  the  world  have  no  power  over  one 
who  has  become  filled  with  positive  thoughts  of  right- 
eousness. When  we  trust  wholly  to  the  Good,  and  become 
wholly  at  one  with  the  Good,  recognizing  the  suprem- 
acy of  the  Good,  we  are  free  from  all  belief  in  miseries 
or  burdens.  We  breathe  purer  air,  which  is  invisible 
but  life-giving ;  we  feed  on  heavenly  manna,  the  true 
word  that  is  divinely  nourishing;  we  escape  the  awful 
bondage  of  fear,  knowing  the  perfect  love  that  casts  out 
fear.  We  can  not  fear  any  false  beliefs  or  wrong 
thoughts,  for  we  are  so  filled  with  true  thoughts,  no 
such  falsities  can  enter  our  mind. 

"  Some  people  talk  as  though  we  have  great  cause 
to  tremble  at  this  awful  counterfeit  power  of  mortal 
inind,  but  if  they  wrould  not  talk  of  it,  nor  fear  it  as 
having  power,  it  would  vanish  as  mist  before  the  morn- 
ing sun. 

"The  great  sin  is  in  admitting  a  lie.  Admit  the  be- 
lief of  sickness  as  a  reality  and  you  will  seemany  witnesses 
to  prove  it.  'Agree  with  thine  adversary  quickly,  lest  he 
turn  and  rend  thee,'  means  make  haste  to  dispose  of  the 
lie  that  will  throttle  you,  if  you  fellowship  with  it  ever 
so  little.  Let  us  not  be  deceived,  but  let  us  'awake  to 
righteousness  and  sin  not.' 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  269 

"Another  question,  and  a  very  important  one,  was: 
'  What  is  the  difference  between  the  different  teachers 
of  Christian  Science  ?'  I  can  best  give  the  substance 
of  Mrs.  Pearl's  reply  by  reference  to  Mrs.  Fuller,  the 
Scientist  from  Trenton. 

"  You  remember  when  she  gave  her  parlor  lecture 
at  Mrs.  Haight's,  she  said  :  'Everything  that  did  not 
come  from  her  teacher  was  mesmerism,  that  it  was 
altogether  false,  and  it  was  so  much  of  a  power  that 
it  was  indeed  to  be  feared,  for  there  was  no  telling  what 
its  subtlety  and  cunning  would  suggest  and  execute ; 
that  no  cure  effected  by  it  was  permanent,  but  that  the 
patients  would  sooner  or  later  be  worse  than  before.' 

"  Oh,  dear,  I  must  not  rehearse  it,  for  of  course  you 
remember  how  my  old  headache  overtook  me  when  I 
got  home,  and  how  wrought  up  I  was  all  night.  Now 
I  know  what  caused  it,  and  now  I  know  the  difference. 

"  In  the  first  place,  these  people  are  taught  the  pure 
and  beautiful  foundation  of  pure  Christian  Science,  but 
instead  of  holding  to  their  premise  that  all  is  good, 
they  begin  to  talk  about  people  and  things  that  are  not 
good,  imputing  false  motives,  and  giving  false  power 
to  those  who,  as  they  say,  are  not  in  the  truth. 

"If  they  would  only  remember  that  counterfeits 
can  have  no  power  except  as  it  is  delegated  to  them, 
that  unreal  thoughts  must  disappear  in  the  presence  of 
true  thoughts,  they  would  not  be  troubled  and  puzzled. 
Adhering  to  the  law,  they  would  recognize  and  talk 
about  the  Good  only. 

"  Ah,  John,  here  is  the  secret  of  Jesus'  words, 
'  Resist  not  evil.'  If  we  resist  anything,  we  recognize 


270  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

it  as  something.  If  we  regard  evil  as  an  entity, 
we  can  not  help  fearing  or  fighting  it,  but  if  we  know 
it  is  nothingness  claiming  to  be  something,  we  deal 
with  it  accordingly. 

"  Whoever  resists  evil  or  calls  evil  a  power,  has  not 
denied  the  reality  of  evil  faithfully  enough.  To  talk 
of  anything  as  having  power,  is  to  believe  in  the  power 
and  become  entangled  in  its  meshes.  That  explains 
Mrs.  Fuller's  remark  that  she  was  '  actually  afraid  to 
meet  one  of  those  false  teachers  on  the  street,  and  al- 
ways took  pains  to  warn  people  against  them.'  I  speak 
of  Mrs.  Fuller  because  you  know  so  well  what  she  did 
and  said,  that  you  will  understand  this  explanation 
better. 

"Another  remark  she  made  was,  that  '  this  power  of 
mortal  mind  is  wholly  ignored  by  these  false  teach- 
ers, although  they  secretly  use  it  so  effectually  and 
disastrously.'  Because  they  do  not  talk  so  much  of 
evil,  she  thinks  they  ignore  it,  while  really  they  si- 
lently but  earnestly  and  vigorously  deny  it,  thereby 
getting  a  sure  control  over  it.  She  was  taught  to 
call  this  seeming  power  of  mortal  thought  Mesmerism, 
and  Animal  Magnetism,  and  after  giving  it  such  for- 
midable names,  and  so  mighty  a  place,  it  is  most  nat- 
ural for  her  to  say  that  it  affects  herself  and  family  or 
her  patients,  causing  them  to  be  slow  in  yielding  to 
treatment.  Thus  you  can  readily  see  how  she  accounts 
for  her  failures. 

"  Mrs.  Pearl  teaches  that  we  can  deal  with  this 
influence  of  carnal  or  mortal  mind,  by  denying  for  the 
patient  the  conscious  or  unconscious  reflection  of  it 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  211 

from  these  five  different  sources.  To  the  patient  who 
is  ignorant  of  truth,  mortal  thought  has  a  power, 
because  he  has  acknowledged  it  as  having  power,  but 
in  our  silent  conviction  of  its  powerlessness,  we  speak 
the  true  word  that  sets  him  free.  The  whole  secret  lies 
in  our  own  freedom  from  belief  in  this  false  power. 

"  The  name  Mesmerism  or  Magnetism  makes  it 
seem  like  some  awful  monster,  lurking  in  every  corner, 
ready  to  devour  us,  while,  as  Mrs.  Pearl  says,  we  go 
our  way,  quietly  denying  all  appearance  of  evil,  prov- 
ing the  law  of  Good  by  recognizing  only  the  Good  in 
thought  and  speech. 

"  How  beautiful  this  teaching  is  !  and  how  wonder- 
fully the  spirit  leads  us  into  all  truth.  But  it  can  not 
teach  us  if  we  talk  error,  or  deliberately  judge  others. 
Never  till  we  are  faithful  in  acknowledging  the  one 
Principle  of  Life  will  it  prove  itself  the  only  power 
over  us. 

"  After  the  questions,  Mrs.  Pearl  spoke  of  the  third 
treatment.  We  treat  for  everything  we  might  have 
missed  in  the  first  two  treatments.  Sometimes  this  is 
called  the  sin  treatment,  for  it  takes  up  so  many  things 
that  belong  more  or  less  to  everybody,  according  to  the 
world's  belief.  A  more  explicit  naming  is  selfishness. 

"  Selfishness  is  the  beginning,  the  mother  of  all  the 
rest.  It  reminds  one  of  the  seven  devils  from  which 
poor  Mary  Magdalen  was  freed.  It  is  not  unlikely 
these  were  their  names :  Selfishness,  pride,  envy,  ava- 
rice, jealousy,  malice  and  cruelty.  This  we  den}7  for 
the  patient  through  the  five  different  sources,  and  you 
can  see  how  apt  it  will  be  to  touch  him,  for  who  is  there 


THE  RKi  I  IT  1<\OCK. 

of  all  earth's  children  that  is  perfectly  free  from  any 
of  these  qualities.  With  our  strong  faith  in  the  law 
and  power  of  the  word,  we  sturdily  deny  everything 
that  might  be  the  shadow  obstructing  his  light. 

"  As  we  go  on  in  the  Science,  we  learn  the  meaning 
of  these  outshowings  of  disease.  Every  visible  thing 
is  the  expression  of  a  thought,  whether  God-given  or 
man-supposed.  We  look  into  a  patient's  face  and  read 
or  interpret  the  signs  of  his  thought.  Is  he  selfish,  un- 
kind or  severe  in  his  disposition,  there  are  the  lines  and 
expressions  that  betray  him.  Is  he  lovely,  gentle  and 
kind,  a  nameless  feeling  of  peace  and  trust  steals  over  us. 

"  In  the  moments  or  times  of  silence  that  every  healer 
should  seek,  there  may  come  something  to  hint  of  the 
truth,  some  word  or  text  or  mind-picture  that  will 
teach  what  no  book  or  teacher  could  tell,  for  '  the  spirit 
of  truth  leads  us  into  all  truth,'  and  the  ways  and 
means  are  varied  according  to  our  capacity  to  receive. 

"A  mind-picture  is  a  symbol  representing  sonic 
thought.  For  instance:  Suppose  while  I  sit  in  the 
silence,  there  comes  to  my  consciousness  a  fragment  of 
landscape,  a  child's  face,  a  storm,  a  sun.  These  arc  ideas 
symbolized.  If  it  be  a  pleasant  scene,  it  may  be  to 
me  a  glimpse  of  the  '  green  pastures  and  still  waters ' 
that  David  sang  about  when  depicting  the  life  of  the 
righteous.  It  would  mean  peace  for  my  patient.  If 
the  symbol  be  a  child's  face,  it  may  mean  that  I 
must  become  as  a  little  child  in  order  to  be  led  into  the 
kingdom.  A  storm  may  signify  that  my  patient  is 
passing  through  a  crisis  of  mental  commotion,  in  which 
case  I  must  use  the  invariable  rule,  deny  the  false  and 
a  Hi  I'm  the  true. 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  273 

"On  the  other  hand  I  may  never  see  a  symbol,  but 
some  suggestive  text  may  come  into  my  mind.  If  I 
were  depressed  or  discouraged,  these  words  might  give 
me  new  courage  and  hope  :  '  Fear  not,  for  I  am  with 
thee;'  '  wait  patiently  on  the  Lord,  and  He  will  give 
thee  the  desires  of  thine  heart.' 

"Or  I  might  not  be  conscious  of  anything  while  I 
am  sitting  thus  in  the  silence.  The  answer  to  my  silent 
question  may  come  to  me  in  the  most  commonplace 
\\;iy  days  or  weeks  after  it  is  asked.  Some  person 
may  say  something  that  will  be  the  very  clue  I  am 
seeking.  We  are  not  to  be  anxious  or  troubled  if  many 
questions  perplex  us,  or  many  problems  seem  insoluble, 
but  wait,  trusting  that 'he  is  faithful  who  promised.'  We 
must  not  be  wishing  for  the  same  signs  or  powers  that 
others  have,  but  appreciate  what  is  given  to  us,  for 
faithfulness  shall  receive  its  full  reward  in  due  time  'if 
we  faint  not.' 

"  No  more  to-day.  Love  to  the  babies.  How  glad  I 
am  to  know  they  are  so  well  and  happy. 

"  Faithfully,      MARION." 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

Comfort  our  souls  with  love, 

Love  of  all  human  kind; 
Love  special,  close  in  which,  like  sheltered  dove, 

Each  weary  heart  its  own  safe  nest  may  find; 
And  love  that  turns  above 

Adoringly;  contented  to  resign 
All  loves,  if  need  be,  for  the  love  divine." 

— D.  M.  Mulock  Craik. 

RACE  looked  very  lovely,  as  she  stepped  into  the 
carriage,  when  Mr.  Carrington  called  1'or  her. 
A  suggestion  of  reserved  feeling  gave  an  added  lustre 
to  her  beautiful  eyes,  and  the  faintest  wild-rose  tint  in 
her  cheeks  made  her  a  fit  study  for  an}r  artist. 

She  looks  like  Psyche  just  awakened.  Can  it  l>e 
possible,  that  with  all  her  charms,  she  was  sleeping, 
before  to-day  ?  he  thought  as  he  took  his  seat  beside 
her,  thrilled  with  new  hope. 

He  drove  into  one  of  the  broad,  quiet  avenues  that 
led  out  of  the  city  and  into  a  country  road.  "  I 
thought  you  would  like  to  visit  'The  Glen,'  and  see 
its  autumn  dress,"  he  said,  as  they  came  in  view  of  the 
river  over  which  lay  the  "  Glen  "  road. 

"I  have  been  wishing  I  might  go  there,  before  the 
leaves  fell,  and  this  is  exactly  what  I  enjoy,"  replied 
(Jrac-e,  looking  out  over  the  scene  before  her  with  a 
keen  pleasure. 

"Perhaps  this  is  an  answer  to  your  wish.  Some- 
times I  think  our  wishes  are  answered  because  of  their 

S7U 


GRACE.  275 

intensity,"  said  Mr.  Carrington,  looking  meaningly 
into  her  face. 

"  George  Eliot  says:  '  The  very  intensity  keeps 
them  from  being  answered.' ':  What  gave  him  the 
sudden,  triumphant  certainty  that  he  could  bide  his 
time  ?  She  had  lost  all  her  haughtiness,  apparently. 
He  had  never  seen  her  in  the  mood  of  to-day. 

"  Apropos  of  wishes,"  he  resumed,  "  which  are  prop- 
erly thoughts,  I  have  two  friends  in  Boston,  who  can 
communicate  with  each  other,  no  matter  how  far  apart 
they  may  be.  They  call  it  the  power  of  thought." 

"  Yes,  thought  transference.  I  am  quite  interested 
and  fully  believe  it,"  said  Grace,  glad  to  have  the 
opportunity  of  sounding  him  on  this  and  kindred 
themes. 

He  glanced  at  her  in  polite  surprise.  "  Indeed,"  he 
said,  "  are  you  acquainted  with  the  subject?" 

"  Somewhat ;  I  have  seen  enough  to  know  it  is 
founded  on  law,"  she  replied,  briefly. 

"What  law?  "  he  asked,  wonderingly,  with  a  slight 
smile  of  incredulity  lighting  his  face. 

"  Mental  law,  of  course." 

She  then  went  on  to  explain  to  him  something  of 
her  study  of  Christian  Science.  At  first  he  was  rather 
skeptical,  but  on  seeing  her  seriousness,  he  very  soon 
i^rew  sober  and  gave  the  most  respectful  and  appar- 
ently absorbed  attention.  By  the  time  she  finished,  he 
was  really  interested. 

"  I  have  often  thought  that  some  day  there  would 
be  more  light  upon  the  philosophy  of  thought,  but  I 
was  not  aware  it  was  so  close  upon  us,"  he  finally  said, 


276  Till':  UK  HIT  K.\OCK. 

''It  is  certainly  much  needed  now,"  she  replied, 
looking  dreamily  at  the  white  clouds  iloating  in  the 
bits  of  blue  above  the  trees.  She  was  thinking  how 
much  it  had  been  worth  to  her  in  her  trial  last  night. 
lie  noticed  the  far-away  look  and  wished  he  might 
know  her  thoughts. 

What  would  have  been  his  surprise,  could  he  have 
been  told  at  this  moment  how  much  he  was  already 
indebted  to  Christian  Science?  for  had  it  not  softened 
the  cruel  pride  that  had  so  encrusted  her  before  ?  lie 
knew  nothing  of  this.  He  perceived  a  change  in  her 
manner  and  even  character  since  he  last  saw  her  two 
years  before,  although  even  then  his  great  love  had 
been  able  to  condone  all  weaknesses,  or  what  others 
would  call  weaknesses.  To  him  they  were  part  of  her 
lovableness. 

When  she  so  coldly  rejected  him,  unlike  most  men, 
he  had  determined  to  wait  patiently  for  her  indifference 
to  turn  into  reciprocation.  He  had  recognized  but  one 
thing,  the  simple,  supreme  fact  that  he  loved  Grace 
Hall.  In  regard  to  her,  there  was  and  never  could  be 
any  other  thought.  Inspired  with  such  love  as  this,  such 
sublime  patience,  such  infinite  hope,  is  it  any  wonder 
he  looked  into  her  eyes  and  read  a  hint  of  victory  ? 

The  time  was  drawing  near.  His  two  years  of 
waiting  surely  gave  him  liberty  to  ask,  and  the  right 
to  receive.  ...  As  for  that,  love,  such  love  as  his, 
had  royal  rights  and  it  would  win  its  own  way  when 
the  moment  came.  He  would  approach  the  subject 
gradually,  talking  about  his  coming  departure, 
although  he  had  mentioned  that  in  his  note,  had  even 


GRACE.  277 

dared  to  tell  her  this  must  be  his  excuse  for  requesting 
an  answer  sooner  than  she  wished  to  give  it. 

"Oh,  what  a  lovely  group  of  colors !  "  exclaimed 
Grace,  involuntarily,  pointing  to  a  tree  decked  in  the 
most  gorgeous  foliage. 

"  Shall  I  get  some  leaves  for  you  ? "  he  asked,  antici- 
pating her  desire,  and  descended  from  the  carriage. 

Presently  he  returned,  with  his  hands  full  of  small 
branches.  u  They  are  lovely  hues.  Is  there  not  some- 
thing else  you  would  like?  I  saw  some  beautiful  ferns 
over  yonder,"  he  said,  pointing  to  the  spot. 

"  Will  we  have  time  ?  I  would  like  to  get  out,"  she 
exclaimed  eagerly. 

"  Time !  '  There's  time  for  all  things,'  Shakespeare 
says,"  laughed  Mr.  Carrington,  as  he  assisted  her  to 
alight. 

Grace  was  in  her  element  amid  the  speaking  grand- 
eur of  Nature's  hills. 

"  Have  you  a  sharp  pencil,  Mr.  Carrington  ?  I  seem 
to  have  lost  the  one  I  always  carry  with  me,  and  that 
grand  oak  tree  I  must  have  as  a  model." 

He  quickly  sharpened  one  and  gave  it  to  her. 

How  beautiful  she  looked !  He  delighted  to  watch 
every  movement  of  the  deft  fingers,  to  study  every 
expression  of  the  beautiful  eyes  and  mobile  mouth.  He 
revelled  in  her  beauty,  because  to  him  she  was  the  per- 
sonification of  all  that  was  lovely  and  noble  and  great. 
Tier  character  he  would  have  loved  just  as  much 
had  she  been  plain  instead  of  beautiful,  for  his  ideal 
was  the  inward,  not  the  outward  beauty,  except  as  the 
two  blended  into  one,  as  they  did  with  her. 


;??.*  TUB  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  You  seem  to  be  partial  to  the  oak,  Miss  Hall.  Is 
there  any  reason  for  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  am.  It  is  a  grand  symbol  of  strength  and 
firmness  of  character,"  she  replied,  still  sketching  rap- 
idly. "  I  like  to  paint  trees,  for  they  express  so  much. 
Some  show  such  kindly  benevolence,  with  their  broad, 
spreading  branches  and  friendly  shade,  some  are  so 
graceful,  with  their  tall  trunks  and  delicately  veined 
leaves,  as  though  showing  a  fine,  tender  nature  ;  while 
others  are  stunted  and  rough,  with  coarse,  thick  foliage. 
I  place  each  one  as  to  character  and  station,  and  they 
teach  me  many  beautiful  lessons." 

"And  they  will  teach  me  many  after  this,  Miss 
Grace." 

lie  wanted  to  say  something  more,  but  she  was  so 
innocently  unconscious  of  anything  but  her  work  that 
he  must  wait  for  a  better  opportunity. 

Having  finished  her  sketch,  Grace  looked  up.     The 
self-consciousness  that  had  scarcely  left  her,  save  these 
past  few  moments,  now  returned  with  painful  sudden 
ness.    Her  eyes  met  his,  and  a  vivid  flush  overspread  her 
face,  but  she  said  nothing. 

"  Shall  we  go?  "  he  asked,  holding  out  his  hand  to 
assist  her.  His  eyes  expressed  the  question  his  lips 
could  not  frame,  but  she  did  not  see  them.  They  went 
to  the  carriage  in  silence. 

The  road  presently  left  the  woods  and  turned  into 
a  broad  country  lane.  Both  had  forgotten  the  pro- 
posed trip  to  "The  Glen,"  but  it  made  no  difference. 
At  last  the  undercurrent  of  feeling  had  burst  through 
all  reserves. 


OK  ACE.  279 

Mr.  Carrington  awaited  the  final  answer,  and  what 
did  she  say  ? 

It  was  the  sacred  page  in  a  maiden's  life  that  is 
read  but  once.  ..... 

Grace  had  found  in  her  lover  a  man  who  was  broad- 
minded  and  liberal  enough  to  fairly  consider  these 
matters  from  a  woman's  standpoint.  They  freely  dis- 
cussed a  married  woman's  rights  and  privileges,  and 
both  agreed  that  a  wife  should  have  an  individuality 
after  marriage  as  well  as  before.  "I  desired  to  express 
myself  on  this  point  before,  my  dear  Grace,"  said  Mr. 
Carrington,  "  because  to  my  mind  it  is  a  mutual  life, 
and  should  be  a  mutual  development." 

"It  is.  indeed.  I  have  never  looked  at  it  in  the 
right  way,  till  the  last  few  weeks.  I  used  to  feel  that 
marriage  was  degrading  rather  than  elevating,  because 
it  seemed  as  though  a  woman  had  to  give  up  so  much 
that  really  belonged  to  her,  her  name,  her  property,  her 
freedom  as  an  individual.  But  now  I  see  that  true 
marriage  should  bring  freedom  in  the  fullest  sense  of 
the  word." 

"In  love  there  is  no  bondage,"  he  replied,  admiring 
her  independent  thought. 

"  Yes,  but  the  world  has  a  faint  conception  of  love, 
the  love  that  saves  to  the  uttermost,  and  endures  for- 
ever," said  Grace. 

"  With  such  love  there  would  be  no  danger  of  mar- 
riage degrading  the  individual,  no  need  of  divorce." 

lie  spoke  strongly  for  he  felt  strongly.  Any  one 
speaking  from  the  depths  of  a  heart-conviction,  speaks 
with  authoritv. 


280  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  The  world  needs  to  be  lifted  to  a  higher  standard 
on  these  matters.  The  subject  of  marriage  is  too  sacred 
to  jest  about,  and  people  in  general  think  it  no  harm 
to  toy  with  the  word  and  all  that  pertains  to  it  with 
the  utmost  carelessness." 

Grace  was  more  like  herself  now.  She  was  very 
happy  in  the  thought  that  Mr.  Carrington  understood 
this  as  she  did,  but  she  was  not  a  little  surprised  to  lind 
herself  giving  such  free  expression  to  her  opinions. 

"  Indifference  and  laxity  is  the  result  of  the  trifling. 
My  theory  is  that  these  things  should  be  sacredly 
spoken  of  in  the  family,  when  boys  and  girls  are  grow- 
ing up.  That  is  the  way  my  mother  did,"  said  Mr. 
Carrington  reverently. 

"  Yes,  the  family  is  more  responsible  than  society, 
for  it  makes  society,"  she  replied,  secretly  touched  by 
the  allusion  to  his  mother. 

She  felt  more  and  more  confidence  in  Mr.  Carring- 
ton. It  seemed  surprising  to  find  how  rapidly  her 
love  for  him  had  increased  since  she  gave  it  permission 
to  grow.  She  did  not  reali/e  that  it  had  been  a  smoth- 
ered plant  before,  trying  to  live  without  sunshine. 
Now  it  could  grow  in  the  warmth  and  brightness  of 
beautiful  day. 

It  was  early  twilight  when  they  returned.  Kate 
was  waiting  for  her.  The  joyous  light  in  Grace's  eyes, 
though  she  tried  to  veil  it,  told  the  story.  Kate  put. 
her  arms  about  her,  saying,  as  she  caressed  the  rosy 
cheek : 

"  Lily  bell  is  bloomed  at  last." 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

"  Be  cheerful:  wipe  thine  eyes : 
Some  falls  are  means  the  happier  to  arise. 
***** 

Before  the  curing  of  a  strong  disease, 
Even  in  the  instant  of  repair  and  health 
The  fit  is  strongest ;  evils  that  take  leave, 
On  their  departure  most  of  all  show  evil." 

— Shakespeare. 

two  clays  no  letter  came,  and  then  Mr.  Hay- 
den  received  two,  which  he  handed  to  the  girls 
as  he  met  them  on  the  street  the  same  evening. 

"  Can  you  spare  them  both  ? "  said  Kate,  holding  out 
her  hand  eagerly. 

"  Oh,  yes ;  I  am  especially  engaged  to-night,  and 
besides  they  are  better  together.  I  am  rather  glad  for 
the  delay.  I  was  afraid  the  first  one  had  miscarried," 
he  replied. 

The  waiting  had  only  increased  their  interest,  and 
on  reaching  home  they  at  once  sat  down  to  read  the 
the  two  letters  handed  them  by  Mr.  Hay  den. 

"  MAKLOW,  October . 

"DEAR  JOHN:  I  suppose  you,  like  the  rest  of  us, 
are  anxious  to  know  how  the  patient  feels  after  such  a 
vigorous  denial  of  the  seven  evils.  It  is  quite  neces- 
sary to  know  what  to  do  at  this  stage. 

"  After  the  treatment  for  special  sins,  James  Martin 
comes  with  bitter  complaints  that  he  is  worse  instc.-id 
of  better.  He  tells  a  doleful  story  of  how  he  suffered 


:•*••?  THE  RIGHT  K.\OCK. 

all  night ;  had  chills  and  fever  exactly  as  when  he 
had  the  ague  long  ago;  how  he  coughed  and  choked 
and  broke  out  with  something  like  measles,  and  was 
all  the  while  so  vilely  sick  it  seemed  as  though  he  was 
about  to  die. 

"  As  he  is  telling  his  pitiful  tale,  with  perhaps  a 
gleam  of  hatred,  disgust  or  helpless  anguish  in  his  eyes, 
we  are  to  sit  calmly  by  and  very  soothingly  give  him 
the  mental  information  that  'there  is  nothing  to  fear.' 

"  When  he  concludes  his  mournful  story,  we  assure 
him  in  quiet  tones  that  there  is  no  occasion  for  alarm, 
as  we  know  how  to  deal  with  these  symptoms.  Then, 
very  gently  and  slowly,  with  a  most  self-possessed  atti- 
tude of  mind,  we  talk  to  him  mentally  something  after 
this  fashion : 

"  '  There !  James  Martin,  it  is  all  right.  Oh,  no ; 
nothing  has  hurt  you,  nor  can  hurt  you.  You  are  not 
afraid  of  anything;  you  know  there  is  no  reality  in 
sickness;  you  are  not  suffering  any  inharmony  because 
of  fear  or  remorse  for  sin.  It  can  not  be  possible  for 
you  to  reflect  fear  or  remorse  from  your  parents,  or  the 
race  or  your  daily  associates.  Neither  is  it  possible  for 
you  to  suffer  from  your  own  fear  or  remorse,  nor  mine. 
Remember,  you  are  spiritual  and  not  material,  and  can 
fear  nothing.  God  is  your  intelligence,  and  you  know 
that  truth  is  all-powerful.  Now,  listen!  You  are  happy, 
you  are  content,  you  are  filled  with  blessed  peace,  'the 
peace  that  passcth  all  understanding.'  You  know  the 
Lord  is  your  shepherd.  lie  leadeth  you  beside  the  still 
waters,  lie  inaketh  you  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures 
now,  this  moment.  There  is  no  future  to  God's 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  283 

promises;  they  are  in  the  eternal  present.  There! 
James  Martin,  a  sweet  ease  comes  to  you,  the  burden  is 
taken  away  ;  you  are  in  the  gentle  care  of  Truth,  which 
ever  whispers,  'Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and 
are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.'  Sh — h! 
Gently  the  arms  enfold  you,  sweetly  peace  and  love 
embrace  you,  and  you  are  at  rest ;  sleep  if  you  like. 
Softly  come  sweet  words  of  divine  love  to  your  wait- 
ing ear,  '  fear  not,  fear  not,  for  I  am  with  thee.'  Peace 
.  .  .  .  peace  be  with  you,  Amen.' 

"  This  stage  is  called  chemicalization,  because  our 
words  of  truth,  dropped  into  the  mind  filled  with  error, 
produce  a  fermentation  similar  to  the  effect  produced 
by  the  union  of  different  chemicals.  Sometimes  the 
patient  chemicalizes  after  the  first  treatment,  in 
which  case  the  second  and  third  treatments  are 
omitted. 

"  When  the  patient  first  comes  to  be  treated,  he 
might  be  likened  to  a  last  year's  garden.  His  mind  is 
filled  with  the  roots  and  rubbish  of  the  beliefs  he  has 
sown,  and  some  of  them  are  noxious  weeds,  deeply 
rooted  in  the  mental  soil. 

"  Cutting  and  keen  are  the  words  of  Truth,  and  like 
a  burnished  plowshare,  it  enters  the  unsightly  field  and 
uproots  everything  in  its  path.  We  now  do  not  mention 
sickness,  because  his  mind  is  so  unsetled  and  his  active 
beliefs  of  disease  all  on  the  surface,  so  we  gently  soothe 
him  into  forgetfulness  of  his  trouble,  and  quietly  assure 
him  there  is  no  occasion  for  alarm  of  an}7  kind.  Thus, 
with  the  word  of  peace  and  assurance  we  smooth  the 
rough,  uneven  soil,  until  it  is  pulverized  and  prepared 


281>  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

for  the  new  seeds  which  are  to  grow  and  blossom  into 
fair  truth-flowers. 

"  To  deny  errors  for  him  who  believes  so  absolutely 
in  them,  is  to  dig  down  into  the  unconscious  mind  and 
rake  up  even  the  memories  that  are  imbedded,  hence 
his  symptoms  of  ague,  or  measles  or  whatever  beliefs 
he  may  have  had. 

"  Because  mortality  dislikes  to  be  told  of  its  faults 
and  consciously  or  unconsciously  resents  such  telling, 
the  violence  of  chemicalization  only  marks  the  degree 
of  conscious  or  unconscious  mental  opposition,  of  which 
the  bodily  symptoms  are  the  picture.  There  is  no  law 
for  chemicalization,  for  some  patients  pass  through  this 
period  without  even  noticing  it. 

"  Sometimes  instead  of  an  excited  feverish  condition, 
which  re(iu ires  the  soothing  quieting  thought,  the 
patient  is  dull  and  sluggish,  perhaps  unconscious,  as  in 
fainting,  spasms  or  something  similar;  then  vigorous, 
rousing  thoughts  should  be  given  —  sharp,  decisive 
and  emphatic,  as  when  awaking  a  heavy  sleeper. 

"  When  called  to  treat  any  one  suffering  from  fever 
or  any  acute  condition,  we  give  the  soothing,  or  pence 
treatment  as  it  is  sometimes  called.  Little  children 
may  be  compared  to  mirrors,  reflecting  every  thought 
around  them.  In  treating  them  it  is  necessary  to  make 
the  law — and  the  true  word  is  always  law — that  they 
do  not  or  can  not  reflect  fear  or  belief  of  disen.se  from 
their  parents  or  relatives,  taking  pains  to  name  each 
person  strongly  holding  thoughts  of  fenr  for  the  little 
one.  If  it  is  a  contagious  n.nd  dangerous  sickness< 
according  to  mortal  thought,  besides  the  nenr  ones  in 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  285 

the  family,  deny  that  any  thought  of  fear  from  the 
neighborhood  or  world  can  be  reflected  upon  the  child 
or  manifested  in  this  belief  of  sickness. 

"Sometimes  children  are  treated  entirely  through  the 
parents,  that  is,  the  parents  are  quieted  and  assured  of  the 
truth  concerning  their  little  one — that  it  is  living  in  the  • 
current  of  infinite  Love,  where  no  fear  can  touch  it,  no 
sickness  come  near  it,  no  pain  destroy  it. 

"Such  cases  require  frequent  or  long-continued  treat- 
ments, or  rather  long-continued  thought  of  the  Good, 
mostly  affirmation,  for  very  little  denial  is  needed  to 
cut  the  chains  of  error  from  a  babe.  Denial  is  to  be 
applied  more  to  the  parents — the  denial  of  fear. 

"If  we  feel  at  all  doubtful  or  fearful  concerning  our 
work,  we  are  not  at  one  with  the  divine  Love,  and  must 
treat  ourselves  before  we  treat  the  patient.  Be  at  one 
with  omnipotent  Law,  and  the  Law  will  prove  itself 
through  you.  Know  truth  and  do  not  tamely  believe 
it,  then  you  may  have  marvelous  proof  of  the  difference 
between  knowledge  and  belief,  God-like  understand- 
ing and  blind  faith. 

"  Mrs.  Pearl  very  clearly  answered  the  question 
which  was  asked  concerning  the  meaning  of  Bible  pass- 
ages implying  eternal  punishment. 

"  There  is  always  punishment  so  long  as  we  are  in 
mortal  belief,  but  it  is  only  in  mortal  belief  we  can 
suffer,  for  the  spirit  made  in  the  image  and  likeness  of 
God  can  not  suffer,  neither  know  suffering. 

"  The  word  everlasting  should  be  translated  age- 
lasting,  to  give  the  original  meaning.  Fire  is  a  symbol 
of  purification,  and  in  the  language  of  ancient  times  it 
was  customary  to  use  strong  figures  of  speech. 


•/'///•;  int HIT 

"In  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  John,  wherein  Jesus 
explains  about  the  vine  and  branches,  what  could  be 
plainer  than  his  illustration  of  the  dead  branches? 
'Every  branch  that  beareth  not  fruit,  he  taketh  a\v;iy  , 
and  every  branch  that  beareth  fruit  he  purgeth  it  that 
it  may  bring  forth  more  fruit.' 

"  Eveiy  false  belief  is  a  branch  that  beareth  not  fruit, 
hence  must  be  taken  away  and  destroyed  even  as  dead 
limbs  are  burned.  Falsity  or  evil,  being  nothingness, 
can  not  exist  because  it  is  not  of  the  real  creation  and 
is  necessarily  cast  into  the  fire  of  purification,  an  illus- 
tration well  understood  at  the  time,  since  all  the  city 
refuse  was  taken  to  Gehenna,  a  place  outside  Jerusalem, 
where  fire  was  always  kept  for  the  purpose  of  burning 
this  waste  matter. 

"  '  Every  branch  that  beareth  fruit  is  purged  ' — that 
is,  if  you  are  a  mixture  of  good  and  evil  beliefs,  you 
will  have  to  be  cleansed  of  the  evil,  before  you  can  do 
much  with  the  good.  This  cleansing  process  is  quite 
properly  named  purging.  This  is  what  we  undergo  in 
suffering. 

"  'He  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneth,'  means 
the  good  in  us  chastens  us,  cleanses  us  for  the  further 
working  of  the  Good.  Punishment,  then,  there  must 
be,  just  as  long  as  we  believe  in,  and  fellowship  with 
error. 

"Mrs.  McClaren,a  staunch  Presbyterian, did  not  seem 
satisfied  with  this  explanation,  but  Mrs.  Pearl  told  her 
not  to  let  the  question  trouble  her,  for  if  she  would  do 
the  best  she  could  with  what  she  knew,  in  due  time  the 
solution  would  come  to  her. 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  287 

"  In  the  night  it  came.  After  she  retired,  the  ques- 
tion kept  pressing  upon  her  so  that  she  could  not  sleep. 

"  About  t\vo  o'clock  it  seemed  as  though  a  great  flood 
of  light  came,  and  with  it  the  clearance  of  the  whole 
problem.  The  texts  on  that  theme  became  illumined 
as  it  were,  and  she  could  see  how  impossible  it  is  for  the 
spirit  to  suffer  or  be  punished  when  it  is  like  God  who 
can  not  '  behold  evil.'  She  came  over  this  morning  and 
told  me  about  it.  I  will  give  you  her  explanation  of 
Matt,  xxv  :  31,  32.  '  When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come 
in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him,  then 
shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory,  and  before 
him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations;  and  he  shall  separate 
them  one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his 
sheep  from  the  goats.' 

"The  Son  of  man,  consciousness  of  Truth,  shall 
come  (be  developed)  with  all  glorious  thoughts  (angels) 
and  judge  us  in  all  our  ways  (nations)  and  shall  discrimi- 
nate between  the  false  and  the  true,  the  evil  and  the 
good,  then  the  good  motives  or  good  thoughts  (sheep) 
shall  coalesce  or  be  set  on  the  right  hand  with  Truth, 
and  the  evil  or  erroneous  beliefs  (goats)  shall  be  rele- 
gated to  the  left,  the  negative  or  no-side,  and  swallowed 
up  in  their  native  darkness  which  is  nothingness. 

"  This  is  the  key  to  the  rest  of  the  chapter,  and  it  is 
in  the  same  line  with  Mrs.  Pearl's  explanation,  but  Mrs. 
McClaren  is  delighted  that  it  came  to  her.  Now  she 
feels  as  though  a  mountain  had  been  lifted  from  her 
heart,  so  great  has  been  her  fear  that  Christian  Science 
would  make  her  disbelieve  in  eternal  punishment,  which 
she  had  learned  was  an  incontrovertible  doctrine.  Now 


288  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

she  realizes  that  nothing  but  Truth  itself  is  being 
ivvealed  to  her,  and  it  seems  that  her  heart  will 
burst  for  joy.  This  may  seem  extravagant,  but  it  is 
just  what  she  said,  and  after  all,  you  are  used  to  enthu- 
siasm since  your  wife  is  an  enthusiast. 

"  Is  it  not  wonderful  ?  I  ask  myself  over  and  over, 
and  echo  answers  'wonderful'!  But  oh,  how  igno- 
rant we  ever  will  be,  unless  we  stop  and  wait  for  the 
spirit  to  tell  us  what  is  true!  It  is  ignorance  and  fool- 
ishness that  we  have  to  contend  with  as  much  as  any- 
thing else,  for  it  is  one  of  the  thickest  clouds  that  hide 
knowledge.  Until  we  have  learned  to  turn  to  the 
hidden  fountain  of  wisdom,  we  are  helplessly  bound  to 
error's  ways. 

"  Even  after  we  go  forth  from  a  class,  and  feel  that 
we  have  been  baptized  with  the  spirit,  we  are  afraid  we 
will  not  be  wise  enough  to  answer  the  world's  question- 
ings of  our  faith,  are  afraid  we  may  not  know  just  how 
to  proceed  with  a  certain  problem,  afraid  we  will  be  too 
weak  to  do  the  things  that  come  to  us  to  be  done. 

"'Oh  ye  of  little  faith,' says  the  rebuking  Christ 
within  us  — '  why  doubt  your  knowledge,  when  God  is 
your  wisdom  ?  Why  doubt  your  intelligence,when  God 
is  your  intelligence  ?  Why  doubt  your  strength,  when 
God  is  your  strength  ? ' 

"  As  we  realize  there  is  but  one  Mind,  and  that  it 
is  omnipotent,  omniscient  and  omnipresent,  the  influ- 
ence of  all  other  thoughts  will  fade  quite  away.  It  is 
because  we  recognize  the  carnal  mind  whose  thoughts 
are  frivolous,  vain,  wretched  or  miserable,  that  we  are 
unsettled  and  dissatisfied.  There  can  be  no  founda- 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  289 

tion,  no  sense  of  security,  to  the  one  who  is  continu- 
ally listening  to  other  than  the  Good. 

"Know  all  wisdom  through  the  universal  Mind, 
and  whoever  draws  his  knowledge  by  inspiration  from 
this  source  shall  become  as  one  with  you,  and  we  all 
shall  be  as  one  with  the  supreme  Mind. 

"There  is  an  indelible  but  invisible  stamp  of  truth 
marking  the  utterance  of  those  through  whom  this 
Mind  is  expressed,  and  the  invisible  something  within 
us,  sometimes  called  the  '  Spirit  itself,'  sometimes  the 
'light  that  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world,'  will  recognize  and  appropriate  its  own.  If  we 
keep  this  judgment  faculty  unbiased,  it  will  lead  us 
to  choose  the  books  we  read  and  teach  us  how  to  sep- 
arate the  wheat  from  the  chaff.  It  is  best  to  read  the 
thoughts  of  one  writer  until  we  understand  the  root, 
branch  and  growth  of  his  inspiration.  It  is  not  well 
to  go  from  one  author  to  another  while  we  are  young 
in  the  Science,  any  more  than  it  would  be  well  to  take 
a  music  lesson  from  a  different  teacher  every  week. 

"We  must  remember  that  'he  that  doeth  the  will 
shall  know  of  the  doctrine,'  and  to  start  out  with  the 
Divine  will  as  our  guide,  as  we  do  when  we  say,  '  God 
works  through  me  to  .will  and  to  do,'  is  to  grow  in 
knowledge  of  all  that  pertains  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
blessed  truth  that  sets  us  free. 

"  Never  talk  of  failures,  or  be  discouraged  by  them, 
because  many  times  the  discouraging  outlook  is  but 
the  prelude  to  a  bounteous  harvest.  Work  with  an 
undaunted  faith  in  the  mighty  Invisible,  knowing  that 
you  serve  the  only  Power,  are  governed  by  the  one 


290  THE  RW11T  A'AOCK. 

Principle,  Infinite  Justice,  that  ever  rewards  according 
to  service.     Doing  your  best,  the  Best  rewards  you. 

"  Under  all  circumstances  we  declare  our  unfailing 
wisdom  because  we  ask  of  the  Good.  We  can  not  fool- 
ishly be  led  away  because  judgment  to  do  is  always 
with  us. 

"  This  is  the  fifth  stage  in  the  patient's  progress, 
and  we  treat  him  for  ignorance  and  foolishness  as  pos- 
sibly reflected  from  the  five  different  sources.  Deny 
that  he  can  be  ignorant  of  the  truth,  or  foolish  in 
believing  error.  Affirm  all  strength  and  courage  and 
steadfastness.  He  comes  to-day  with  an  uncertain  ring 
in  his  voice.  He  is  undecided  as  to  what  to  do ;  is 
weak  and  nerveless ;  can  not  tell  whether  he  is  better 
or  worse.  The  treatment  for  strength  and  courage 
will  bring  him  back  to  Truth,  and  he  will  brighten  and 
revive  under  the  warm  influence  of  your  sunny  faith. 

"One  more  lesson!  I  shall  be  glad,  yet  sorry, 
when  it  is  over.  Oh,  what  an  experience  this  has  been  ! 
Surely,  I  shall  never  be  such  a  weak,  impatient 
woman  again.  Thank  God  !  Now  I  know  what  there 
is  for  me  in  this  beautiful  world. 

"  Good  bye, 

"  MARION." 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

"  Build  on  resolve,  and  not  upon  regret, 
Tlie  structure  of  thy  future.    Do  not  grope 
Among  the  shadows  of  old  sins,  but  let 
Thine  own  soul's  light  shine  on  the  path  of  hope, 
And  dissipate  the  darkness.     Waste  no  tears 
Upon  the  blotted  record  of  lost  years, 
But  turn  the  leaf,  and  smile,  oh  smile  to  see 
The  fair,  white  pages  that  remain  for  thee." 

—  Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox. 

"  MARLOW,  October . 


'•)  SUPPOSE  this  is  the  last  letter  I  will  write  on 
yL  the  lessons  in  Christian  Science,  but  I  will  be  faith- 
ful as  ever,  even  though  I  tell  it  all  over  again  when  I 
see  you. 

"Everybody  looked  regretful  enough  when  they 
went  into  the  class  room  to-day,  but  a  hundred  fold 
more  so  when  we  went  out  and  the  good-byes  were 
said.  It  means  so  much  to  us  all.  We  have  passed 
through  twelve  lessons  which  may  symbolize  twelve 
epochs  or  stages  through  which  we  proceed  from  ignor- 
ance to  understanding,  and  understanding  to  complete 
demonstration. 

"  We  have  been  together  scarcely  three  weeks,  and 
yet  so  much  has  been  uncovered  that  we  stand  face  to 
face  with  our  real  selves.  All  that  was  conventional 
has  been  laid  aside  in  our  intercourse,  and  the  best  and 
s\veetest  and  most  sacred  phases  of  our  lives  laid  bare, 
so  that  we  have  had  a  clear  glimpse  of  God's  children 

291 


292  THE  RIGHT  KNO(  'A'. 

as  they  are,  not  as  they  usually  appear;  and  indeed  it 
gives  us  better  courage  and  stronger  faith  to  go  forth 
into  the  world  again,  knowing  that  the  possibilities  of 
one  are  the  possibilities  of  all,  for  '  God  is  no  respecter 
of  persons.' 

"  I  know,  perhaps  better  than  some  of  the  rest,  that 
we  shall  be  walking  in  the  valleys  many  times  when 
our  eyes  are  on  the  sun-crowned  heights,  but  if  we  can 
be  patient  and  earnest,  our  feet  shall  reach  the  fertile 
slopes  and  sunny  grass  lands  of  well  attained  effort. 
My  experience  of  the  past  shall  be  only  a  stronger 
incentive  to  perseverence  in  the  future,  and  while  it 
seems  human  to  fall,  it  isdivine  to  rise,  and  knowing  the 
divine  privilege  of  proving  divinity,  I  trust  God  to 
work  through  me  in  my  daily  effort.  So  said  we  all 
when  we  left  the  classroom  to-day,  and  with  a  holy 
consecration  to  our  new-born  faith,  we  trust  we  shall 
ever  grow  in  grace  and  wisdom  as  God's  children, 
according  to  the  promise. 

"  Mrs.  Pearl  spoke  of  our  Science  as  the  science  of 
silence,  and  told  us  not  to  be  zealous  without  judgment, 
not  to  speak  when  silence  would  be  golden,  not  to  act 
so  as  to  bring  reproach  upon  our  cause  or  ourselves, 
but  remember  to 'avoid  even  the  appearance  of  evil.' 
She  said  many  in  their  first  joyous  enthusiasm  and 
overwhelming  conviction  would  indiscreetly  tell  people 
'there  is  no  matter,'  for  instance,  so  eager  were  they 
to  bring  everybody  into  the  sweet  liberty  of  the  spirit ; 
but  the  world  not  being  ready  to  properly  consider  the 
subject,  would  of  course  ridicule  and  argue  hotly 
against  such  a  statement,  so  that  false  opinions  would 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  293 

spring  up  and  most  absurd  practices  and  claims  be 
attributed  to  Christian  Science. 

"  Our  Science  should  have  a  dignified  place  in  the 
world's  opinion,  and  if  we  want  to  help  give  it  that 
place,  we  should  aim  to  be  living  representatives  of 
the  principles,  maintain  a  dignified  attitude  regarding 
it,  and  if  we  can  answer  any  questions  pertaining  to  it, 
let  our  answer  and  manners  be  ennobling  and  Christ- 
like. 

"  We  never  argue  audibly  with  unbelievers.     Argu- 

C3  */ 

ment  kills  the  spirit  of  any  religion,  and  the  person  who 
desires  to  prove  his  position  by  argument  is  not  ready 
to  be  convinced  by  the  spirit.  If  you  are  obliged  to 
carry  on  a  conversation  with  an  argumentative  person, 
silently  deny  all  his  statements  of  error,  and  with  calm 
positiveness  affirm  for  him  intelligence,  wisdom,  and 
a  desire  to  know  truth.  In  other  words,  recognize 
his  spiritual  self,  which  is  in  perfect  peace  and  harmony, 
and  the  outward  disturbance  or  inharmony,  which  is 
simply  nothingness  expressed  by  him,  is  annulled. 
Possibly  you  may  seem  obliged  to  submit  and  listen  to 
him.  Never  mind.  Carry  on  your  silent  thoughts 
scientifically,  and  constantly  think  truth.  Thus  you 
will  plant  a  seed  that  shall  bring  forth  beauteous  blos- 
soms, excellent  fruit. 

"Whenever you  hear  error  talked,  deny  it.  This 
is  'shutting  your  ears  from  hearing  of  blood,  and  your 
eyes  from  seeing  evil.'  Any  error  must  be  denied  in 
order  to  see  the  proof  of  its  opposite  truth. 

"  If  everybody  would  learn  to  deny  all  the  slander 
or  gossip  they  hear,  we  should  soon  have  a  new  social 


294  TIIK  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

world.  Cruel  tongues  would  cease  their  wagging, 
timid  hearts  could  breathe  again,  and  fair  names  bloom 
in  every  home. 

"  This  would  be  the  beginning  of  a  much  needed 
reform  in  the  daily  press.  Poor  editors,  they  are 
obliged  to  fill  orders,  like  the  cooks  and  waiters  serving 
the  gentlemen  and  ladies  in  the  elegant  dining-room, 
ladies'  ordinary  and  ground-floor  cafe.  Alas!  that  the 
discovery  should  not  be  made  by  everybody,  so  they 
could  send  in  different  orders.  IIow  gladly  would  the 
bill  of  fare  be  changed  ! 

"  But  there  is  nothing  more  certain  to  change  it,  than 
the  little  leaven  of  truth  dropped  in  the  highways 
and  byways  of  daily  life.  We  must  '  be  diligent  in 
season  and  out  of  season,'  silently  as  a  rule,  but  at  times 
audibly,  perchance  forcibly,  for  some  minds  seem  so 
dull  and  sluggish  as  to  need  a  startling  thunder-clap  to 
awaken  them  from  their  slumber  of  ignorance.  Thus 
some  patients  that  come  to  be  healed  must  be  told 
sharply  and  definitely  how  to  think  or  what  to  say,  for 
sometimes  it  is  necessary  to  make  them  say  their  own 
word  of  healing,  they  are  so  completely  absorbed  in 
material  beliefs. 

"We  grow  more  in  wisdom  and  spiritual  judgment 
as  we  proceed  faithfully  along  our  way  of  scientific 
thought  and  living,  and  thus  have  an  unerring  insight 
into  what  we  shall  do  and  say  in  order  to  give  to  each 
the  healing  gospel. 

"When  we  go  to  church  we  ought  to  acknowledge 
and  emphasize  every  true  statement  made  by  the  clergy- 
man with  our  silent  affirmation,  and  as  emphatically 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  295 

deny  every  erroneous  statement,  that  we  may  turn  the 
tide  of  Truth  into  a  broad  stream  of  spiritual  uplifting 
for  the  whole  congregation. 

"  Should  the  minister  be  inclined  to  speak  about  the 
awfulness.and  power  of  God's  wrath  and  punishment, 
we  can  silently  assure  him  that  God  is  a -God  of  love, 
not  wrath,  and  tell  him  he  desires  to  present  only  the 
true  side  of  religion.  Some  people  might  say  this  would 
be  wrong,  to  dictate  to  any  one  how  they  should  talk, 
but  you  will  notice  that  it  is  not  dictation  of  action,  but 
rather  recognition  of  motive — the  true  motive  of  the 
true  self.  We  have  a  right  to  recognize  the  highest 
and  best  of  every  person.  Indeed,  we  are  going 
directly  opposite  God's  commands  if  we  acknowledge 
any  but  the  good  creation,  which  is  the  spiritual. 

"  What  can  the  spirit,  which  is  perfect,  made  in 
God's  image  and  likeness,  have  to  say  of  God's  anger 
or  punishment,  when  it  knows  neither,  inasmuch  as  it 
is  pure  as  the  Father  in  heaven?  '  Shall  not  the  judge 
of  all  the  earth  do  right  ?'• 

"  Not  only  in  the  social  circle  and  in  the  church,  but 
in  all  kinds  of  work,  in  all  affairs  of  business,  and 
above  all,  in  the  home,  must  we  thus  live  up  to  our 
principles  which  soon  prove  our  sublimest  theory  by 
our  sublimest  practice.  And,  blessed  privilege,  we  do 
not  need  to  understand  all,  before  we  can  begin  to  dem- 
onstrate our  precious  Science. 

"  We  need  not  worry  about  the  burden  of  to-mor- 
row and  thus  drop  that  of  to-day,  but  only  carry  that 
of  to-day  with  the  strength  that  is  given  for  the  day. 
'  Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they  grow;"*  daily 


296  THE  RIGHT  KSOCK. 

appropriating  their  portion  of  sunshine  and  air  and 
dew,  they  unfold  and  blossom,  exhale  their  fragrance, 
display  their  matchless  beauty,  thus  fulfilling  their 
appointed  mission ;  so  we  may  unfold  and  blossom 
into  rare  excellence  and  strength  of  character. 
Refreshed  by  the  dew  of  a  pure  purpose,  nourished  by 
the  sunlight  of  true  thoughts,  fed  by  the  all-abounding 
manna — the  living  word,  we  soon  grow  strong  enough 
to  withstand  driving  tempest  or  boisterous  gale. 

"  Mentally  we  are  quickened,  learning  to  discern  the 
opposing  force  in  ourselves,  and  meeting  it  with  the 
sharp  sword  of  truth,  lay  it  low  at  once.  But  it 
requires  practice  to  wield  this  spiritual  weapon  ;  it 
takes  judgment  faculty  to  discover  whence  comes  self- 
ishness that  exhausts  and  weakens;  whence  comes 
the  material  or  sensual  thought  that  sickens  and 
wearies,  or  the  jealousy  that  poisons  and  embitters  the 
life-forces. 

"  Faithfully  and  diligently  do  we  use  the  word  of 
denial,  that  sets  us  and  our  patients  free  from  these 
subtle  enemies ;  faithfully  and  earnestly  we  affirm  all 
truth  and  purity  and  goodness  as  our  portion,  as  our 
strength,  our  refuge,  and  our  defense. 

"  By  the  blessed  law,  when  we  have  thus  cleansed 
ourselves,  we  become  at  one  with  the  one  Life.  We  in- 
tuitively draw  to  ourselves  the  best  quality  of  friendship 
and  give  forth  the  best ;  we  seek  the  most  uplifting  and 
spi ritual  literature,  because  it  gives  us  a  fresh  baptism 
of  spiritual  light,  which  in  turn  we  give  to  others,  so 
there  is  a  continual  receiving  and  giving,  a  continual 
blessing  and  being  blessed. 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  297 

"  '  Henceforth  I  call  you  not  servants,  but  friends,' 
said  the  Master  before  his  departure.  Now  '  the  ser- 
vant abideth  not  in  the  house  forever,  but  the  son 
abideth  forever.'  We  came  as  servants  to  be  taught. 
While  in  our  ignorance,  we  were  the  servants  or  in- 
feriors; knowing  the  Truth  we  became  free,  and 
henceforth  are  brothers,  sisters,  'heirs  of  God  and  joint 
heirs  with  Christ.'  We  now  claim  our  inheritance,  the 
privilege  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  and  possess  the 
land,  our  royal  birthright.  In  this  kingdom  are 'hid 
all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge.' 

"  The  patient  who  comes  to  us  must  on  this  day  be 
told  of  the  royal  gift  of  health,  and  we  may  say : 
'  Now  are  ye  clean  through  the  word  I  have  spoken 
unto  you.'  He,  too,  must  now  become  the  friend,  and 
need  no  longer  be  the  servant.  When  he  first  came  to 
us  he  was  like  a  little  child  that  had  lost  his  way.  We 
could  not  show  him  the  way  to  the  velvet  slopes  of 
health  without  taking  hold  of  his  hand  and  leading  him 
through  the  thickets  and  underbrush  in  which  he  was 
lost.  So  we  graciously  reached  down  to  him,  by  talk- 
ing of  things  with  which  he  was  familiar,  of  animal 
passions,  of  selfishness,  of  sin.  We  gently  and  kindly 
showed  him  they  were  not  the  true,  proved  to  him  that 
his  belief  in  them  had  led  him  off  the  right  path,  and 
talked  to  him  of  brighter,  better,  truer  thoughts  that 
led  to  smiling  skies  of  hope,  to  balmy  airs  of  peace. 

"Each  day  we  assured  him  of  his  true  inheritance, 
and  now  we  confidently  assert  that  he  is  in  full  pos- 
session of  it.  Now  he  is  ready  to  believe  the  affirma- 
tion without  the  denial,  because  he  is  convinced  that  the 


S98  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

affirmations  are  true,  and  he  comes  to  us  this  day  with 
clear,  clean  eyes,  and  a  child-like  joy  in  his  recovered 
health.  We  give  him  the  final  word,  the  benediction, 
the  binding  assurance  of  his  birthright. 

"  Realizing  as  we  must  ourselves  the  wondrous 
truth  concerning  his  real  self  and  all  which  that 
implies,  we  impressively  and  with  the  most  thrilling 
conviction  affirm  for  him  that  only  health,  strength, 
joy,  courage,  peace,  satisfaction,  can  come  to  him  as 
the  child  of  God,  the  idea  of  Mind  in  the  power  of  the 
Thought  that  thinks  him  into  being.  We  assure  him 
that  he  can  recognize  and  reflect  nothing  but  Good, 
that  he  can  manifest  only  the  Father  whose  son  he 
knows  himself  to  be.  Nothing  but  Mind  can  allVct 
him.  He  is  like  a  column  of  light  against  which  no 
darkness  can  be  thrown  ;  like  a  true  answer  to  a  prob- 
lem which  any  number  of  wrong  answers  can  not. 
change.  Spiritual  like  God,  he  can  only  recognize  and 
appropriate  what  is  God-like.  Henceforth  he  knows 
himself  and  his  Father,  knows  that  whatever  he  may 
ask  (realize)  will  be  granted  unto  him.  Knows  that  he 
must  acknowledge  the  Truth,  and  he  will  abide  in  the 
kingdom  of  Good. 

"  We  send  him  forth  with  all  the  blessings  he  can 
desire,  because  we  have  realized  for  him  the  possession 
of  those  blessings.  Knowing  that  God  is  all  there  is,  and 
that  our  patient  lives,  is  moved  and  has  his  being  in 
God,  we  point  with  unerring  finger  to  the  sunny  uplands 
of  health.  He  can  never  more  relapse  as  he  will  ever 
walk  in  the  open  fields  of  Truth.  We  bid  him  God 
speed  on  his  journey,  and  thank  God  that  he  has  come 


PRACTICAL  APPLICATION.  209 

into  the  consciousness  of  life  everlasting,  into  health 
and  joy  without  measure.  So  be  it  forever  more. 

"  The  thought  of  perfection  should  be  held  stead- 
fastly, even  though  the  patient  do  not  manifest  health 
at  once.  No  matter  if  the  cure  is  not  effected  in  one, 
two,  three  weeks,  or  even  as  many  months,  hold  fast, 
with  unwavering  faith  (even  if  you  do  not  give  regu- 
lar treatments  all  the  time,  and  it  may  be  well  to  skip 
a  week  or  so  occasionally),  knowing  that  good  seed 
must  bring  forth  good  fruit;  when,  where  or  ho\v, you 
nor  no  other  may  know.  Time  is  unthinkable  with 
(iod.  We  are  dealing  with  Principle,  not  time.  We 
plant  the  seed,  'God  giveth  the  increase.' 

"  Do  the  best  you  know,  and  work  out  your  own 
problems.  No  one  else  can  do  that  for  you.  Jesus 
gave  us  the  key,  showed  us  the  way;  more  than  that 
he  could  not  do.  We  must  live  our  lives  and  maintain 
our  place  by  our  own  efforts.  It  is  '  he  that  over- 
cometh'  who  receives  the  supreme  gift  of  eternal  life." 
******* 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

"May  I  reach 

That  purest  heaven, — be  to  other  souls 
The  cup  of  strength  in  some  great  agony, 
Enkindle  generous  ardor,  feed  pure  love, 
Beget  the  smiles  that  have  no  cruelty, 
Be  the  sweet  presence  of  a  good  diffused, 
And  in  diffusion  ever  more  intense — 
So  shall  I  join  the  choir  invisible, 
Whose  music  is  the  gladness  of  the  world." 

-George  Eliot. 

.  Hay  den's  was  a  joyous  home-coming.  No 
sooner  was  the  first  rapturous  welcome  from 
children  and  husband  received,  than  in  came  Grace 
and  Kate,  who,  in  their  eagerness  to  see  her,  had  scarcely 
been  able  to  let  her  have  the  first  half  hour  to  her 
family. 

"I  think  you  will  have  to  include  us  in  your  family, 
MPS.  Hayden,  for  we  could  not  resist  the  family 
welcome,  said  Grace,  smiling  with  happiness,  as  she 
grasped  Mrs.  Hayden's  hand  and  drew  Kate  close 
beside  her  with  the  other. 

"You  are  included  my  dears.  There  is  but  one 
family  you  know,"  was  the  cordial  reply  grasping  the 
hand  of  each. 

"What  a  change  in  you,  Graco — Kate — why,  I 
should  hardly  know  you/'  exclaimed  Mrs.  llayden,  after 
the  first  excitement  was  over. 

"  Grace  has  lost  the  cloud  of  perplexity  and  doubt, 
soo 


FOUND  AT  LAST.  SOI 

and  Kate  the  expression  of  fear,"  she  added,  turning  to 
Mr.  Ilayden  with  a  pleased  surprise. 

"  Didn't  I  tell  you  they  were  both  growing  beauti- 
ful 2"  was  his  laughing  answer.  "  But  girls,"  he 
added,  "  don't  you  notice  something  different  in  Mrs. 
Ilayden  ?  That  is  quite  wonderful,  I  think." 

"  Really,  Mrs.  Ilayden,"  exclaimed  Grace,  with 
wonder,  "you  are  not  nearly  so  fleshy  are  you ?  I  can 
hardly  define  the  change,  if  that  is  not  it,  but  I  noticed 
something  the  moment  I  saw  you." 

"  I  have  lost  something  in  weight  since  I  left  home," 
she  replied,  somewhat  amused  .at  their  looks  of  astonish- 
ment. 

"  Your  figure  is  so  much  better  proportioned,  too," 
continued  Grace. 

"  And  your  complexion  clearer,"  added  Kate. 

"  Do  tell  us  what  it  all  means.  You  certainly  look 
better  than  I  ever  saw  you,"  said  Grace  again. 

"  I  am  quite  thankful  she  came  home  before  all 
resemblance  to  my  wife  was  lost,"  said  Mr.  Ilayden, 
with  a  hearty  laugh,  as  he  looked  at  each  in  turn. 

'kWell,  be  serious  now,  and  I  will  tell  you  something 
after  I  have  put  the  children  to  bed,"  said  Mrs.  Hay- 
den,  cuddling  the  sleepy  Jem  in  her  arms.  Fred 
and  Mabel  stood  beside  her,  frequently  interrupting  the 
conversation,  for  they,  too,  wanted  to  share  the  good 
time  with  mamma.  When  Mrs.  Hayden  returned,  she 
resumed. 

"  It  may  seem  strange  to  you  as  it  did  to  me  at 
first,  but  I  see  it  clearly  now,  that  desiring,  searching 
and  living  for  right,  brings  the  body  into  harmonious 


S02  TUK  linniT  KNOCK. 

expression.  If  we  think  truth,  \ve  see  it  expressed  in 
harmony,  beauty,  symmetry,  because  the  external  is 
the  expression  of  the  internal." 

u  It  was  particularly  by  the  denial  of  matter  that  I 
lost  the  superfluous  flesh,  for  since  I  was  too  fleshy 
to  be  of  symmetrical  form,  it  was  superfluous  and 


"  Did  you  know  the  denial  of  matter  would  have 
such  an  effect  ? "  interrupted  Kate. 

"  No,  not  till  I  heard  some  of  the  rest  of  the  class 
speaking  of  it,  and  then  I  could  hardly  believe  it,  but 
after  I  understood  the  theory  better,  of  course  it  seemed 
more  reasonable." 

"  It  is  both  wonderful  and  reasonable  too,  I  think. 
Why  didn't  you  write  something  about  it  ?  "  asked 
Kate  again. 

"  Oh,  there  are  many  things  that  can  be  told  better 
than  written." 

"And  many  things  that  can  be  thought  better  than 
told,"  added  Grace,  thoughtfully. 

"  Another  lady  in  the  class  had  about  the  same 
experience,"  said  Mrs.  Hayden. 

"  But  tell  us  the  scientific  reason  for  such  an  effect  ?" 
continued  Grace. 

"  I  will,  as  well  as  I  can.  Have  you  noticed  that  it 
is  people  who  are  materially  minded  in  their  tastes  and 
habits  that  are  apt  to  be  fleshy  I " 

"  That  depends  upon  what  you  would  call  materially 
minded,"  was  Grace's  smiling  reply. 

"I  mean  those  who  like  what  the  world  calls  the 
good  things  of  life  —  those  who  think  a  great  deal  of 


FO  UND  A  T  LAST.  803 

material  pleasures  or  environments,  and  find  it  com- 
paratively difficult  to  think  or  realize  spiritual  things." 

"  Oh ! yes,  I  believe  that  is  true,  although  I  have 

never  thought  of  it,"  said  Grace,  slowly. 

"Because  the  denial  of  matter  makes  all  these 
things  secondary,  the  effect  of  the  neAv  thought  is  to 
make  the  body  more  spiritual." 

"  Of  course  !  Why  could  we  not  see  it  before  ?  "  was 
Kate's  conclusive  query. 

"  What  effect  then,  has  this  denial  on  lean  people?" 
asked  Mr.  Hayden,  more  seriously,  for  until  now  he 
had  been  inclined  to  regard  this  as  a  little  'far  fetched,' 
as  he  would  have  expressed  it. 

"  It  does  not  effect  them  like  the  denial  of  evil,  be- 
cause material  things  are  not  so  important  to  them, 
while  they  are  apt  to  be  pining  and  fretting  about  the 
evils  and  ills  in  the  world,  either  as  touching  themselves 
or  humanity  in  general.  Denying  evil  and  evil  condi- 
tions would  then  have  the  opposite  effect,  and  cause 
them  to  gain  flesh,  or  grow  into  the  expression  of 
physical  harmony  to  correspond  with  the  spiritual." 

"  This  is  only  a  higher  reading  of  what  we  have 
already  learned,  and  it  is  lovely  to  know  we  may  go 
on  indefinitely,  ever  reading  something  new,"  said 
Grace. 

"  Now  tell  me  something  of  what  you  have  all  been 
doing?"  said  Mrs.  Ilayden,  as  she  looked  at  Grace. 

"  Oh.  Kate  has  been  doing  some  wonderful  treating 
among  her  pupils,  and  the  patients  we  took  up,  are  all 
doing  nicely." 

"  Grace  is  very  modest.     She  doesn't  say  a  word  of 


S04  T1IK  RKll IT  K 

how  quickly  she  cured  me  of  neuralgia,  or  a  horrible 
fit  of  the  blues,"  supplemented  Kate,  looking  fondly  at 
Grace,  who  had  become  dearer  than  ever  since  their 
confidential  talks. 

"  Mr.  Hayden  has  a  good  report  for  himself  and  the 
children,  too,  though  I  suppose  you  have  heard  from 
him,"  Grace  remarked  with  a  smile.  lie  looked  ratlin- 
pleased  at  her  thoughtfulness,  but  said:  "I  would 
rather  hear  more  from  Marion.  Were  there  many 
cures  in  the  class?" 

"  Several.  Mrs.  Dexter,  the  lady  1  mentioned  in  my 
letters  as  having  been  a  long  while  under  the  doctor's 
care,  went  home  perfectly  well,  and  Miss  Singleton  also, 
of  whom  I  wrote.  A  gentleman  who  had  been  in  a 
previous  class  tald  his  experience.  His  right  arm  had 
been  fractured  in  the  army.  Orders  were  given  that 
it  should  be  amputated,  but  by  the  intervention  of  a 
physician  with  whom  he  was  acquainted,  the  arm  was 
saved,  though  he  had  never  been  able  to  use  it  much. 
At  times  it  was  very  painful.  It  was  so  weak  he  could 
scarcely  lift  a  plate  of  bread  to  pass  it  at  the  table. 
After  a  few  lessons,  that  arm  was  just  as  well  as  the 
other.  In  his  joy  he  told  everybody.  When  the  doc- 
tors got  hold  of  it,  they  laughed  at  him  saying  if  that 
arm  was  as  large  as  the  other  in  six  months,  they 
would  believe  there  was  something  in  Christian  Science. 
In  six  weeks  it  was  as  large  and  strong  and  sound  as 
the  other." 

"That  was  remarkable,"  said  Mr.  Hayden, speaking 
for  all.  "Did  you  hear  anything  about  treating  ani- 
mals f '  he  added  after  a  momentary  silence. 


FO  UND  A  T  LAST.  305 

"  Oh,  yes.  We  may  think  of  an  animal  as  the  per- 
fect expression  of  God's  thought,  as  manifesting  the 
true  Life,  the  same  as  human  beings." 

"  After  all,"  said  Kate,  "  that  is  something  we  ought 
to  expect,  for  are  we  not  promised  dominion  over  all 
things  C 

"  Certainly,  and  we  are  not  proving  our  right,  till 
we  prove  the  dominion,"  answered  Mrs.  Hayden.  "  It 
is  a  beautiful  thought  to  me,  and  several  of  the  class 
told  of  successful  work  in  this  line.  One  lady  had 
treated  a  frightened  horse,  and  made  him  so  gentle 
any  one  could  drive  him.  It  is  mostly  fear  that  is  re- 
flected upon  animals.  They  manifest  thought,  even  as 
humanity  does." 

"  I  have  often  noticed  horses.  They  are  apt  to 
show  the  same  disposition  as  their  masters.  This  ex- 
plains it,"  said  Mr.  Hayden  thoughtfully.  ""Why 
didn't  you  write  about  all  this?" 

"  I  was  afraid  it  would  be  too  strong  meat  for  you, 
for  I  could  scarcely  realize  it  myself." 

"  It  seems  as  though  we  have  had  so  many  wonder- 
ful suggestions  it  will  take  a  life  time  to  understand 
them,"  remarked  Kate. 

"  There  is  no  end  to  the  study  of  Infinity,"  was 
Mrs.  Hayden's  reply. 

"  How  do  you  account  for  the  quick  cures  ? "  in- 
terposed Grace. 

"  It  all  depends  upon  how  quickly  one  receives  the 
consciousness  of  Truth.  That  is  the  healing  process. 
But  there  are  not  very  many  quick  cures,  comparatively, 
though  it  is  the  quick  cures  we  should  aim  for  and 


306  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

expect,  for  the  cure  is  always  in  the  degree  of  our  real- 
ization of  the  allness  of  God. 

"  Another  of  the  older  students  told  of  some  won- 
derful absent  healing.  A  lady  that  had  been  four  years 
an  invalid,  and  given  up  to  die  by  five  physicians  in  the 
place,  was  healed  in  three  weeks  by  absent  treatment." 

"Is  that  considered  as  effectual  as  present  treat- 
ment?" 

"  There  should  be  no  difference,  because  we  ought 
to  realize  that  with  Truth  there  is  no  space  nor  time. 
All  is  the  eternal  now  and  here.  Some  prefer  to  give 
present  treatment,  especially  in  acute  cases ;  with  others 
absent  treatment  seems  more  effectual." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  that,  for  I  feel  that  I  can  do 
better  absently,''  said  Grace,  with  a  look  of  relief. 

"  But  tell  me,"  questioned  Kate,  eagerly,  "  have  all 
persons  the  same  gifts  ? " 

"  In  the  germ,  yes  ;  but  all  are  not  equally  developed. 
"We  enter  this  study  in  different  stages  of  unfoldment. 
Some  heal  quickly,  others  slowly;  some  teach  naturally, 
while  others  find  it  more  difficult,  especially  at  first. 
We  develop  the  gift  we  desire  to  use  by  continually 
claiming  it  and  using  it,  and  bye  and  bye  we  shall  mar- 
velously  prove  that  we  have  it.  In  Love  we  recognize 
no  partiality,  no  time  and  no  place,  and  thus  we  can 
truly  say  all  we  desire  is  truly  ours." 

Grace  laid  her  hand  on  that  of  Mrs.  Hayden,  say- 
ing: 

"Words  can  never  express  our  gratitude  to  you 
both  for  your  extreme  kindness  in  allowing  us  to  read 
your  beautiful  letters,  Mrs.  Ilayden.  They  have  made 


FOUND  AT  LAST.  307 

life  seem  entirely  different  to  us."  She  was  deeply  in 
earnest,  and  her  quivering  lip  spoke  more  than  a  vol- 
ume of  words. 

"  Grace  speaks  for  us  both,"  added  Kate,  huskily. 

"  Dear  friends,"  replied  Mrs.  Hoyden,  much  touched 
herself,  "  I  am  glad,  yes,  more  than  glad,  that  you  can 
speak  so  of  my  letters,  of  which  the  greatest  merit  lies 
in  their  simple  earnestness  — ."  She  ceased  abruptly, 
and  for  a  few  moments  all  were  silent 

It  was  a  silence  too  full  for  words.  A  door  had 
opened — a  morning  dawned  for  each  of  them.  The 
mysterious  future  verged  into  the  mighty  present.  All 
that  was  grand  and  noble  and  tender  filled  the  measure 
of  their  aspirations.  The  world  surely  might  enter 
into  their  joy,  for  their  joy  surely  entered  into  the 
world. 

Mrs.  Hayden  broke  the  silence,  saying : 

"  'Ask  and  it  shall  be  given  you  ;  seek  and  ye  shall 
find ;  knock  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  37ou.'  Many 
years  have  I  asked  and  sought  for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  but  never  till  now  have  I  found  the  right 
knock." 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

Love  is  the  high  consummation  and  fulfillment  of  all  Law.  It  casts 
out  fear,  discord  and  imperfection.  To  minister  is  Godlike,  Christ- 
like.  *  *  *  *  The  law  of  love  reaches  down,  rules,  and  over- 
comes adverse  lawi  which  are  below  itself. — Henry  Wood. 

kUTSLDE,  deepening  twilight  of  a  midwinter's 
day:  inside,  a  bright  grate  fire,  soft  curtains, 
beautiful  rugs  and  simple  but  elegant  adornings  for 
mantel  and  wall  in  this  lovely  room  of  a  lovely  home. 

The  only  occupant  is  a  young  woman — young 
because  of  the  real  life  of  which  she  so  vividly  and 
strongly  expresses  a  consciousness,  the  only  life  after 
all  to  be  expressed,  and  which,  rightly  appropri- 
ated will  and  must  forever  be  clothed  with  the  fresh- 
ness and  vigor  of  youth.  The  young  woman  is  Grace 
Hall  Carrington. 

She  sits  before  the  glowing  embers  in  an  expectant 
attitude.  She  is  evidently  waiting  for  some  one,  and  as 
she  waits,  her  mind  seems  full  of  pleasant  musing. 
The  three  years  that  have  passed  since  we  saw 
her  have  ripened  her  character.  We  can  see  that.  The 
unrest  and  longing  which  pervaded  her  whole  being  in 
the  old  days  are  gone.  A  poise  and  calmness  of  spirit 
have  taken  their  place.  Even  her  attitude  as  she  sits 
there  with  the  shadows  flickering  over  her,  is  full  of  a 
suggestive  alertness  that  expresses  an  awakened  life. 
The  forces  that  had  slumbered  so  long  in  her  being 
are  fully  alive  to  their  duty  and  their  privilege.  Yes, 
Grace  Carrington  is  awake,  and  happy  as  a  wife  and 
woman  should  be.  She  is  thinking  even  now  of  the 

308 


AFTER  THREE  TEARS  S09 

richness  of  effort  and  opportunity  that  have  been  hers 
in  these  last  years.  She  had  been  particularly  fortu- 
nate in  her  marriage.  Few  women  have  as  much  to 
be  thankful  for  as  she  has  in  this  respect,  but  then,  she 
waited  to  find  her  true  womanhood  before  she  found 
a  husband.  Perhaps  that  had  something  to  do  with  it. 
At  any  rate  she  is  satisfied  that  she  waited. 

The  door  bell  rings.  A  moment  later  she  is  greeting 
two  visitors.  Who  but  the  friends  we  knew  in  the  old 
days — Kate  Turner  and  Mrs.  Hay  den? 

"I  really  expected  you  sooner,  Mrs.  Hayden  ;  Kate  is 
more  uncertain.  One  never  knows  when  to  look  for 
her ;  but  never  mind,  we  are  together  again,  so  come 
up  to  the  fire  and  let  us  get  settled  for  the  evening." 
And  Grace  hastened  to  make  her  friends  comfortable. 

"Oh  but  it  is  nice  to  get  home  occasionally,"  cried 
Kate  with  a  shrug  of  pleasure  as  she  looked  around 
the  beautiful  room  and  then  at  the  smiling  hostess. 

"I  only  wish  you  would  come  oftener  Kathie.  It 
seems  like  the  old  days  to  have  you  here,"  replied 
Grace  with  a  loving  pat. 

"I  suspect  Kate  has  a  bit  of  news  for  us,"  remarked 
Mrs.  Hayden,  as  she  sat  down  near  the  fire. 

"Indeed,"  exclaimed  Grace,  lifting  her  eyebrows,  and 
tightening  her  hold  of  her  friend's  hand.  "And  is  the 
momentous  question  decided,  dearie? 

"Yes,  and  I  am  to  report  for  duty  next  week,"  was 
the  reply. 

"  Good  for  you,  Kathie.  I  always  knew  the  Science 
would  make  your  music  heard,  and  as  Professor  Beal's 
assistant  it  will  be  heard  a  long  way  and  to  good 
advantage." 


310  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"  She  is  reaping  the  reward  of  her  trust  in  the  Law,'* 
said  Mrs.  Hayden.  "  That  is  the  only  thing  that  will 
make  the  working  sure." 

"Well  Kate,  you  have  trusted  surely,  and  to  think 
what  a  proof  this  is!" 

"How  you  talk  Grace !  One  might  think  you  had 
never  proven  it  at  all,  or  that  your  work  didn't  bear 
witness  to  your  own  trust,"  reproved  Mrs.  Hayden, 
smiling. 

"  Oh  well,  girls,  my  work  has  been  of  the  silent  order 
altogether,  or  rather  it  has  consisted  more  of  silence 
than  work.  There's  no  telling  how  it  will  show  up," 
was  the  blushing  response. 

It  had  been  a  standing  joke  with  the  three  as  to  how 
Grace  managed  her  "liege  lord,"  inasmuch  as  he  had 
never  been  quite  won  over  to  the  Science,  protesting 
that  he  had  no  time  for  such  things,  persisting  in  a  good- 
natured  skepticism,  although  strangely  enough  he 
believed  a  great  many  things  when  they  were  presented 
without  the  name  of  "  Science"  attached  to  them. 

"Perhaps  that  very  silence  is  the  secret  of  its  show- 
ing, for  I  assure  you  it  shows,"  resumed  the  elder 
friend,  who  still  seemed  to  the  other  two,  the  incar- 
nation of  all  that  was  noble  and  wise. 

"Do  tell  us  the  way  you  manage  anyway,  Grace," 
begged  Kate,  with  special  reasons  for  inquiring. 

"Why  my  dear,  there's  nothing  to  tell  unless  it  be 
that  a  bland  silence  is  a  good  thing  to  cultivate. 
There's  no  use  in  making  so  much  of  a  bugbear  of  these 
people  who  seem  to  oppose,  and  the  best  way  to  lead 
them  into  the  green  pastures  is  to  let  them  nibble 
along  the  outside  until  they  want  to  jump  the  fence 


AFTER  THREE  YEARS.  Sll 

and  get  over  in  spite  of  you.  Now  Leon  is  really  quite 
hungry  to  know  some  things,  especially  about  the 
practical  application  of  thought  to  business,  but  he 
knows  just  where  and  how  to  find  what  he  wants,  so  I 
let  him  take  his  own  time  and  his  own  way." 

"Which  will  end,  of  course,  in  his  wanting  to  know  all, 
providing  you  have  the  patience  to  wait",  laughed 
Kate. 

"  That  is  a  foregone  conclusion.  I  can  wait,  and  I 
will,  said  Grace.  "Besides,"  she  continued  more 
soberly,  "I  must  consider  Leon's  rights.  lie  should 
not  be  forced  to  a  conclusion  simply  because  I  hold  it. 
A  hot-bed  growth,  produced  by  whatever  means,  will 
not  bear  the  hardy,  healthy  bloom  of  a  natural 
development.  He  may  be  slow  but  he  must  be  true." 

"  There  Grace,  you  have  touched  the  keynote,"  ex- 
claimed Mrs.  Hayden  warmly.  "  It  is  freedom  people 
need,  freedom  to  think  and  act  the  highest,  for  every- 
body has  a  highest." 

"Yes,  if  they  can  only  keep  the  channels  open  for  the 
inspiration  of  the  highest  to  come  to  them  or  work 
through  them,"  remarked  Kate  with  a  gesture  of 
doubt. 

"  What  better  way  is  there  to  give  freedom  or  open 
the  channel,  than  to  destroy  prejudice,  put  away 
antagonism  and — " 

"Either  in  yourself  or  others,"  interposed  Grace, 
"for  to  hold  prejudice  or  to  believe  in  evil  is  always  an 
obstruction." 

"After  all,  it  all  hinges  upon  the  non-resistance  of 
evil,"  said  Kate. 

"Yes,  one  of  the  first  laws  of  the  beautiful  Christ- 


SIS  TUE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

life,  and  yet  one  of  the  very  last  to  be  practiced  in  ray 
experience.  I  tell  you  girls,  it  is  the  lesson  of  non- 
resistance  we  most  need."  Mrs.  Ha\Tden  spoke 
earnestly  as  she  always  did,  and  her  words  carried 
weight. 

"Go  on,  Mrs.  Hayden.  If  I'm  asleep  anywhere,  I 
wish  you  would  wake  me  up,"  cried  Kate,  drawing 
the  hassock  upon  which  she  sat,  close  up  to  the 
elder  lady,  and  putting  one  hand  in  her  friend's 
lap,  as  she  waited  expectantly  for  the  answer. 

"Well  dear,  I'm  only  talking  on  general  principles, 
and  what  I  have  discovered  in  myself— 

"  Please  tell  us  what  you  have  found  Mrs.  .'  ~, 

said  Grace.  "We  need  all  the  light  we  cannot,  and 
no  matter  how  it  may  cut.  we  won't  shrine  will  we, 
Kathie?"  with  a  loving  glance  at  the  latter. 

"No,  we'll  only  know  and  be  glad  that  the  hot  blaze 
of  truth  is  melting  some  more  of  the  dark  spots  in  our 
range  of  vision,"  returned  Kate. 

"  It  is  only  this,"  began  Mrs.  Hayden,  modestly. 
"I  have  been  looking  my  theory  and  ^ractice  squarely 
in  the  face  lately,  and  I  find  t}v><i  in  many  things 
quite  widely  separated.  For  Stance,  I  have  been 
saying  for  three  years  that  tH^re  is  no  evil,  while  in 
many  cases  my  actions  have  (JaVried  the  very  opposite 
idea,  and — " 

"  Why,  what  do  you  mean,  Mrs.  Hayden  ? "  cried  Kate 
in  astonishment,  "  who  has  been  more  faithful,  who 
more  loving,  and  who  more  successful  in  proving  the 
unreality  of  sickness  and  evil  ? 

"  For  one  thing  then,  I  have  never  put  away  the 
tendency  to  pronounce  judgments  on  people  or 


AFTER  THREE  TEARS.  SIS 

things,  and  I  must  get  beyond  that  before  I  prove 
that  I  mean  what  I  say,  when  I  say  there  is  no  reality 
in  evil." 

"  But  surely  we  can't  help  seeing  the  negative  side 
of  things,  "  was  Kate's  remonstrance. 

"No,  but  we  can  help  making  it  positive,  and  we 
can  avoid  fighting  against  it  if  we  only  stick  to  our 
first  statement  that  there  is  but  one  Law.  " 

"I  see  what  you  mean,"  said  Grace  quietly.  "You 
mean  that  we  must  hold  so  perfectly  to  the  allness  of 
Good,  that  no  shadow  of  ignorance  can  ever  darken 
our  vision  or  our  consciousness.  " 

.  indeed,  we  all  see  that  that  is  the  ultimate," 
interposed  Kate  with  some  warmth,  "  but  when  and 
how  are  .*.e  to  reach  it? " 

"  In  the  first  place  we  must  know  that  the  ultimate 
is  always  in  the  Now,  and  that  by  holding  to  our  high- 
est statements  with  that  thought,  we  can  rest  in  the 
consciousness  of  the  allness  of  Good  as  Grace  has  ex- 
pressed it.  With  that  consciousness  there  is  no  judg- 
ment and  no  resistance.  " 

Kate  still  loo.  i  mystified,  "Please  make  it  a,  little 
plainer,"  she  begg  ]. 

"  Well,  last  surnm  r  when  I  was  called  to  treat  Mrs. 
Hart's  child,  as  you  unow,  the  father  knew  little  or 
nothing  of  the  Science,  and  when  he  insisted  on  having 
a  physician  what  did  I  do  ?  Instead  of  calmly  realiz- 
ing that  all  the  medicine  in  the  world  could  not  hurt 
Truth,  and  dealing  with  his  ignorance  as  I  would  with 
his  fear,  I  felt  that  it  would  be  a  terrible  thing  to 
countenance  such  disloyalty,  and  so  withdrew  from 


S14  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

treating  the  case,  forgetting  that  the  father's  ignorance 
could  not  be  called  disloyalty;  forgetting  that  my  faith- 
fulness to  principle  ivould  be  the  same  regardless  of 
any  and  all  ignorance.  In  fact  my  action  belied  my 
words  that  there  is  no  reality  in  evil. " 

"  But — why,  what  else  could  you  do  ? "  asked  Kate 
with  a  puzzled  frown. 

"  I  could,  or  at  least  I  ought  to  be  able  to  main- 
tain my  faith  and  my  consciousness  of  Good  just 
the  same  under  those,  as  other  circumstances,  and  so 
make  no  resistance." 

"Oh  yes,  I  see  what  you  mean,"  exclaimed  Grace 
suddenly.  "You  mean  that  we  make  something  of 
what  we  declare  as  nothing?" 

"Exactly,  Grace.  We  resist  it  by  thinking  it  some- 
thing antagonistic  to  Truth,  whereas  we  should  remem- 
ber our  first  statement  that  there  is  but  one  Power. 
It  is  the  One  that  heals  in  every  instance.  We  know 
that.  Why  should  we  stop  to  combat  what  other 
people  think  or  do  not  think  ? " 

"There!  Now  I  understand  you,"  ejaculated  Kate 
with  a  brightening  face.  "It  is  the  One  only  which 
acts  under  all  disguises,  and — but  what  would  you  have 
us  do?"  suddenly  falling  into  doubt  again.  As  of 
old  Kate  was  ever  the  questioner. 

"Dear,  I  am  not  talking  of  persons  or  laying  down 
rules  of  action  for  anybody,  but  I  am  giving  you  my 
idea  of  the  non-resistance  of  evil.  The  question  with 
me  is,  am  I  'about  my  Father's  business.'  If  I  accuse 
someone  of  being  unfaithful,  or  if  I  criticise  any 
methods,  means  or  persons,  I  still  believe  in  something 


AFTER  THREE  TEARS.  S15 

besides  the  Good.  Even  if  I  accuse  myself  in  any  way 
no  matter  how  slight  the  fault,  I  am  recognizing  that 
which  I  have  declared  does  not  and  never  did  exist. 
You  see  what  I  mean.  There  is  no  use  to  multiply 
examples. " 

"  Oh  yes,  I  see,  but  can  I  live  up  to  it  ?  That  is  the 
all  important  question,"  was  the  dreamily  earnest  replv. 

"As  for  that  I  might  say  the  same,  but  we  are  not 
to  look  at  that  side  of  the  question.  A  safe  and  I 
think  the  very  best  guide  to  right  living,  is  to  meas- 
ure every  act  by  the  standard  of  love.  Would  love 
prompt  this  or  that  thought,  or  decision  or  action? 
It  is  very  easy  to  decide." 

A  thoughtful  silence  fell  upon  the  group.  The  even- 
ing shadows  grew  deeper  outside.  The  firelight  cast 
long  crimson  shafts  of  light  into  the  corners,  and 
flickered  fitfully  over  the  faces  and  forms  before  the 
grate. 

"  I  have  been  learning  a  lesson  too. "  It  was  Kate 
who  broke  the  silence.-  Her  voice  was  reverential. 
Her  eyes  were  bright  with  an  inner  light.  "  I  have 
been  holding  strongly  to  the  name — the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ — and  realizing  what  it  means,  and  it 
has  helped  me  more  than  anything." 

"What  does  it  mean.  Kate?  That  is  something 
which  is  still  a  little  tainted  with  the  old  super- 
stitious worship  of  a  personality,"  said  Grace. 

"  Beware,  Grace ;  that  is  criticism.  Put  it  away 
until  you  know,"  warned  Mrs.  Hayden. 

"  Thank  you.  Tell  me  every  time,"  returned  Grace 
humbly. 


316  THE  RIGHT  KNOCK. 

"Indeed,  this  contemplation  of  the  name  takes  one 
farther  from  personality  or  the  recognition  of  mere 
person  than  anything  else,"  Kate  went  on  earnestly. 
"  Jesus  Christ  means  God  or  Truth  manifest.  Hold- 
ing the  words  with  that  thought,  all  sense  of  person, 
limitation,  or  time,  disappears.  Wisdom  and  power 
come  to  fill  your  consciousness,  until  the  Christ  life 
seems  not  only  a  possibility  but  a  real  demonstration." 
Kate  paused.  Perhaps  she  had  said  too  much ! 

But  there  was  no  mistaking  the  vibration  of  a 
sympathetic  thought,  even  if  the  pressure  of  friendly 
hands  had  not  reassured  her. 

"It  is  wonderful  how  many  ways  there  are  of 
attaining  the  same  end,"  mused  Grace.  "Now  I  can 
gain  the  same  state  of  mind  Kate  speaks  of,  by  holding 
to  the  idea  of  Law.  To  me  everything  is  embodied 
in  that,  although  of  course,  any  great  word  under- 
stood as  to  its  real  meaning  is  an  all-inclusive  term. 
But  we  cannot  al \vays  live  in  an  ecstasy." 

"We  should  not  if  we  could,"  said  Mrs.  Hay  den. 
"We  must  get  beyond  that  if  we  ever  attain  the 
mental  poise  that  will  carry  us  through  everything." 

"  But  I  am  so  weak,"  murmured  Kate.  "  How 
shall  I  ever — " 

"There,  child,  you  are  doing  the  very  thing  that 
will  keep  you  from  growing  strong.  What  right 
have  you  to  pass  judgment  on  Katherine  Turner 
anymore  than  on  anyone  else  ? "  said  Mrs.  Hayden 
almost  sternly ;  then  suddenly  softening  her  tone 
she  added,  "  Dear  heart,  we  must  not  let  self  judg- 
ment or  self  condemnation  creep  in  upon  us  to  leave 


AFTER  THREE  TEARS.  SIT 

their  blight  of  discouragement  or  failure.  No,  the 
only  way  is  to  keep  our  eyes  fixed  on  the  mark  of 
the  high  calling,  resisting  nothing,  carrying  on  our  lips, 
success,  in  our  hearts  love,  in  our  lives  truth.  By 
the  outer  we  judge  nothing:  by  the  inner  we  know 
all.  Personally,  that  is,  ph}7sically  we  are  only  a  part 
of  all  external  limitation.  Individually,  that  is,  spirit- 
ually, we  are  the  potentiality  of  Infinity  itself." 

"  And  that  means  the  possibility  of  true  living,  which 
is  positively  necessary  to  perfect  demonstration,'' 
added  Grace. 

"  Yes,  perfect  demonstration  in  oneself  or  in  others," 
said  Mrs.  Hayden  emphatically.  "  In  fact  the  first, 
last,  and  only  consideration  is  or  should  be  true 
living,  or  the  ability  to  be  lived" 

"  That  is  what  it  amounts  to,  after  all,"  accorded 
Grace,  "for  what  is  true  living  but  the  setting  aside 
of  self,  so  that  the  great,  infinite  Life  may  be  established 
in  our  action,  as  a  manifest  reality  ? " 

Kate  rose  softly,  and  went  to  the  piano.  Then 
spoke  the  mighty  Voice  through  Music,  and  through 
that  wondrous  harmony  a  consciousness  of  the  perfect 
Life,  with  all  its  power  and  presence,  burst  upon 
these  three  who  were  no  longer  three  but  One.  For 
that  moment  they  knew  and  lived  only  as  the  One, 
and  in  that  moment  the  world  received  a  baptism  of 
blessed,  healing  tenderness. 


CUP  BEARER 

An  Illustrated  Monthly  Magazine 

FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

EDITED  BY 

HELEN  VAN-ANDERSON, 

Author  of  "THE  RIGHT  KNOCK,"  "  IT  Is  POSRIBLE,"  Etc. 


The  CUP  BEARER  contains  bright,  original  stories,  poems, 

and  sayings,  bearing  messages  of  helpfulness  to 

all,  the  nature  and  power  of  love  being 

especially  emphasized. 


JUST  WHAT  EVERY  PARENT  WANTS. 

JUST  WHAT  EVERY  CHILD  NEEDS. 


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A  BOOK  FOR  THE  PEOPLE. 


"  It  Is  Possible,"  by  Mrs.  Helen  Van-Anderson,  is  a  story  written  evidently 
by  a  thinker  of  more  than  usual  ability.  *  *  *  *  Her  teaching  that 
women  have  an  individuality  of  their  own  and  that  at  the  marriage  altar  it  is  not 
lost  in  the  husband  is  a  sentiment  that  needs  expanding,  and  is  every  year 
gaining  in  strength.  The  wife  is  no  slave,  and  the  husband  that  so  regards  bis 
wife  is  unworthy  the  love  of  any  good  woman.  The  Felix  Temples  of  the  story 
are,  unfortunately  for  society,  too  numerous.  Selfishness  in  the  home — unselfish- 
ness and  politeness  to  those  outside  of  it  are  unfortunately  too  common.  Such 
characters  can  not  be  hit  too  often  and  too  hard.  A  woman's  duties  to  herself, 
her  children,  to  society  and  to  her  God  alike  demand  that  her  womanhood  and 
its  nobility  should  be  emphasized  as  equal  to  man  at  his  best.  Only  where  there 
is  such  an  equality  in  the  home  is  the  home  happy  or  life  at  its  best. — Inter 
Ocean,  Chicago. 

"  It  Is  Possible,"  by  Helen  Van-Anderson,  is  a  work  deserving  of  a  large 
sale  and  of  being  widely  read.  No  one  can  read  the  book  without  partaking  in 
some  measure  at  least  of  the  intense  spirituality  which  pervades  the  story. 
Every  character  represented  in  the  story,  we  believe,  has  its  counterpart  in 
"real  life."  The  little  Marys  are  by  no  means  too  numerous,  but  such  there  are 
—at  least  "  it  is  possible  "  that  such  may  be.  The  character  of  this  child  is  the 
equal,  and  in  some  respects  we  venture  to  say,  the  superior  of  that  of  "  Agnes  " 
in  David  Copperfield. — American  Farm  News,  Akron,  O. 


There  is  a  deep  feeling  of  satisfaction,  of  growth  and  expansion  which 
comes  to  one  after  reading  a  grandly  beautiful  book.  Such  a  feeling  is  produced 
by  Helen  Van-Anderson's  last  book,  "  It  Is  Possible."  She  opens  with  an  ex- 
quisite and  true  glimpse  into  child-life  with  its  delicious  imaginings,  and  one 
instantly  loves  the  children  whose  lives  grow  and  develop  as  the  book  goes  on. 

The  "  Helpers'  Home,"  composed  of  "  Voluntary  Helpers,"  is  an  ideal  and 
practical  illustration  of  what  can  be  done  by  the  women  who  will.  The  whole 
book  demonstrates  what  women  may  be  and  what  they  have  been  in  the  home. 
It  is  a  book  full  of  glorious  and  sweet  truths  and  suggestions,  One  feels  uplifted 
by  the  reading  of  this  book,  and  can  turn  back  to  its  pages  with  tireless  pleasure 
to  gather  refreshment  and  counsel  for  the  daily  life. — Current  Topics,  New 
Orleans,  La. 

Sold  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent  postpaid  by  the  publishers  on 
receipt  of  price.  Usual  discount  to  the  trade. 

Et»a  Publisning  Co. 

358  Burling  Stfeet,  CHICAGO. 


EVERY  DAY  HELPS. 

BY  L.  J.  AND  HELEN  VAN-ANDERSON. 

A  birthday  book,  good  for  any  year.  Selections  of  the  best  thought 
from  the  world's  great  writers. 

New  edition,  revised  and  enlarged.  850  selections;  136  pages.  Cloth; 
Gold  title;  Red  edges. 

POSTPAID,  50  CENTS. 

"  '  Every  Day  Helps '  is  the  best  Calendar  ever  prepared.  Every  time  I 
have  opened  it,  it  has  given  me  a  message  just  satisfying  the  need  of  the 
hour."  EMMA  CUHTIS  HOPKINS. 

THETENJVIRGINS. 

BY  L.  J.  ANDERSON. 


An  exposition  of  this  significant  parable  in  accordance  with  the  science 
Jesus  taught. 

POSTPAID,  25  CENTS. 

"It  analyzes  and  explains,  clearly  and  concisely,  the  oft -quoted  parable, 
giving  its  esoteric  meaning."  C.  S.  THOUGHT. 

WORLD  BUILDING. 

BY  HELEN  VAN-ANDERSON. 


Seventh  thousand.    25  CENTS  PER  DOZEN. 

"  A  brochure  giving  a  simple  but  very  real  application  of  right  thought 
and  words."—  Wayside  Light*. 

A  DIPPERFUL  OF  TRUTH. 

BY  HELEN  VAN-AXDERSON. 


Seventh  edition.    15  CENTS  PER  DOZEN. 

"  It  is  splendid  for  enquirers."— DR.  YARNAUL. 


NEW  ERA  PUBLISHING  CO, 

PUBLISHERS  AIND  DEALERS. 

358    BURLING    ST.,  CHICAGO,    ILL. 


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DC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


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